74th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2007 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
LC 2582
 
                           A-Engrossed
 
                         House Bill 2702
                  Ordered by the House April 3
            Including House Amendments dated April 3
 
Sponsored by Representative RILEY; Representatives BARNHART,
  BONAMICI, BOQUIST, BUCKLEY, CANNON, DALLUM, C EDWARDS, D
  EDWARDS, GALIZIO, GELSER, GIROD, GREENLICK, NATHANSON, READ,
  ROSENBAUM, SHIELDS, THATCHER, TOMEI, WITT, Senators GORDLY,
  WALKER
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure.
 
    { - Requires agencies of state government to ensure that
written documents conform to plain language standards. - }
   { +  Directs Governor to assign state agency responsibility
for developing plan to ensure that written documents produced by
executive department agencies conform to plain language
standards.  Requires agency assigned responsibility to adopt plan
by November 1, 2007, and report to Legislative Assembly on
specified dates.
  Declares emergency, effective on passage. + }
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to written documents produced by agencies of state
  government; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1.  { + (1) The Governor shall assign a state agency in
the executive department responsibility for developing a plan to
ensure that written documents produced by executive department
agencies conform to plain language standards.
  (2) For purposes of the plan developed in accordance with
subsection (1) of this section, a written document conforms to
plain language standards if the document, whenever possible:
  (a) Uses everyday words that convey meanings clearly and
directly;
  (b) Uses the present tense and the active voice;
  (c) Uses short, simple sentences;
  (d) Defines only those words that cannot be properly explained
or qualified in the text;
  (e) Uses type of a readable size; and
  (f) Uses layout and spacing that separate the paragraphs and
sections of the document from each other.
  (3) The agency assigned responsibility for developing the plan
shall adopt the plan by November 1, 2007.
  (4) The agency that develops the plan shall report to the
Legislative Assembly in the manner provided by ORS 192.245 not
later than February 1, 2008, and not later than January 1, 2009.
The reports must include:
  (a) A summary of activities by executive department agencies to
implement the plan;
  (b) A summary of training and resources provided to agencies;
  (c) An explanation of any measured impacts resulting from
implementation of the plan; and
  (d) Any recommendation the agency has for further legislation
regarding plain language standards.
  (5) As used in this section, 'executive department' has the
meaning given that term in ORS 174.112. + }
  SECTION 2.  { + This 2007 Act being necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency
is declared to exist, and this 2007 Act takes effect on its
passage. + }
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