Senate Concurrent Resolution 1
Whereas section 17,
Article IV of the Oregon Constitution, provides that each house has all powers
necessary for a branch of the Legislative Department, of a free and independent
state; and
Whereas section 11,
Article IV of the Oregon Constitution, provides that each house when assembled,
shall determine its own rules of proceeding and sit upon its adjournments; and
Whereas section 10a,
Article IV of the Oregon Constitution, authorizes the Legislative Assembly in
the event of an emergency to convene a special session; and
Whereas chapter 680,
Oregon Laws 2005, created the Public Commission on the Oregon Legislature; and
Whereas the commission
received testimony and reviewed documents concerning the frequency, length and
timing of the legislative sessions; and
Whereas the commission
found that the current structure of the legislative sessions does not provide
sufficient predictability or certainty for the citizens of
Whereas the commission
found that even-year sessions will improve the legislature’s handling of
complex policy issues and related fiscal matters; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the
Legislative Assembly of the State of
(1) The Senate and the
House of Representatives shall adhere to the following schedule and deadlines
for the regular session of the Seventy-fourth Legislative Assembly:
(a) The Senate and House
of Representatives shall convene in regular session on January 8, 2007.
(b) The Senate and the
House of Representatives shall convene their respective floor sessions one day
or more each week from January 15, 2007, through March 2, 2007.
(c) Members and
committees shall submit requests for drafts of measures to the Office of the
Legislative Counsel on or before January 29, 2007.
(d) Members and
committees shall submit drafts of measures for introduction to the Senate and
House Desks no later than February 26, 2007.
(e) The Senate and House
of Representatives may convene daily floor sessions beginning on March 5, 2007.
(f) Committee
chairpersons shall request fiscal and revenue impact statements for measures in
the chamber of origin no later than April 20, 2007. This paragraph does not
apply to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, other joint committees, Senate
Committee on Finance and Revenue, House Committee on Revenue, Senate Committee
on Rules and House Committee on Elections, Ethics and Rules.
(g) Committees shall
consider measures in the chamber of origin no later than April 30, 2007. This
paragraph does not apply to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, other joint
committees, Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue, House Committee on
Revenue, Senate Committee on Rules and House Committee on Elections, Ethics and
Rules.
(h) Committee
chairpersons shall request fiscal and revenue impact statements no later than
May 23, 2007. This paragraph does not apply to the Joint Committee on Ways and
Means, Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue, House Committee on Revenue,
Senate Committee on Rules and House Committee on Elections, Ethics and Rules.
(i) Committees of the
Senate and House of Representatives shall close no later than May 31, 2007.
This paragraph does not apply to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, Senate
Committee on Finance and Revenue, House Committee on Revenue, Senate Committee
on Rules and House Committee on Elections, Ethics and Rules.
(j) The Seventy-fourth
Legislative Assembly shall adjourn no later than June 29, 2007.
(2) The rules of the
Senate and House of Representatives shall apply to matters not specified in
this resolution. The rules of the Senate and House of Representatives may
establish timelines for priority measures, for measures approved by the
presiding officers or for appropriation and fiscal measures approved by the Joint
Committee on Ways and Means that are different from the timelines established
in subsection (1) of this resolution.
(3) Pursuant to the
declarations made in the preamble of this resolution, the Seventy-fourth
Legislative Assembly declares that an emergency exists and will continue
through February 2008, and the members agree as follows:
(a) In January 2008 the
presiding officers shall provide notice to the Legislative Administrator of the
intent to invoke ORS 171.015 (1) so as to ensure that special session shall
convene on February 4, 2008.
(b) The Legislative
Administrator shall follow the special session protocol set forth in ORS
171.015.
(c) Upon receipt of the
notice described in ORS 171.015 (1), so as to convene the special session on
February 4, 2008, the presiding officers shall invoke the provisions of section
10a, Article IV of the Oregon Constitution.
(d) Upon convening the
2008 special session, the presiding officers shall ensure that the 2008 special
session adjourns sine die no later than February 29, 2008, and that the special
session is limited to consideration of the most pressing fiscal and policy
issues.
Filed in the office of Secretary of State January 19, 2007
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