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 1791-1
 
                    House Joint Resolution 6
 
Sponsored by Representative BERGER (Presession filed.)
 
 
                             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 as
introduced.
 
  Proposes revision of Oregon Constitution relating to
compensation of elected public officials.
  Refers proposed revision to people for their approval or
rejection at next primary election.
 
                        JOINT RESOLUTION
  Whereas the compensation of major elected officials of this
state is best set by a group of disinterested individuals that
understands the needs of the state, the demands of public office
and the need for appropriate levels of compensation to draw
qualified people to public office; now, therefore,
 { +  Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon, two-thirds of all the members of each house
  concurring: + }
  PARAGRAPH 1. The Constitution of the State of Oregon is revised
by creating new sections 15 and 15a to be added to and made a
part of Article IX, such sections to read:
   { +  SECTION 15. (1) Salaries for members of the Legislative
Assembly, the Governor, the Secretary of State, the Treasurer of
State and judges of the supreme court, court of appeals, circuit
courts and tax court shall be established by an independent
commission created by law for that purpose. An individual who
holds an office or position the salary of which is established by
the commission may not be a member of the commission until the
individual has been out of the office or position for at least 24
months.
  (2) A report that lists the salaries established by the
commission shall be filed with the Governor, the President of the
Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court on or before November 15 of each
even-numbered year and shall become law on July 1 of the
odd-numbered year following the filing unless, by May 1 of that
odd-numbered year, the Legislative Assembly passes a bill
rejecting all of the salaries and the bill is enacted and takes
effect on or before July 1 of that odd-numbered year. If the
salaries are not rejected as described in this subsection, the
Legislative Assembly shall appropriate sufficient funds to pay in
full the salaries established by the commission for the biennium
beginning July 1. If the salaries are rejected as described in
this subsection, no change in then-existing salaries may be made
before the commission establishes and reports the salaries in the
next even-numbered year, and the Legislative Assembly shall
appropriate sufficient funds to pay in full the then-existing
salaries for the biennium beginning July 1.
  (3) The salaries established under this section supersede
salaries established under any other provision of law for members
of the Legislative Assembly, the Governor, the Secretary of
State, the Treasurer of State and judges of the supreme court,
court of appeals, circuit courts and tax court. The salaries of
these elected officials in effect on the effective date of this
section remain in effect until changed under this section.
  (4) The salary of each individual who holds an office or
position for which the salary is established by the commission
may not be diminished during the term for which the individual is
elected. + }
   { +  SECTION 15a. (1) Section 15 of this Article is repealed
on June 30, 2017, unless, at the regular general election held in
2016, a majority of the electors voting on the question of
whether or not to retain section 15 of this Article as part of
the Oregon Constitution votes to retain the section. If a
majority of the electors voting on the question votes to retain
section 15 of this Article, section 15 of this Article remains in
effect. If a majority of the electors voting on the question
votes not to retain section 15 of this Article, section 15 of
this Article is repealed on June 30, 2017.
  (2) The Legislative Assembly and the Secretary of State shall
take appropriate action to ensure that the question described in
subsection (1) of this section is submitted to the people for
their approval or rejection at the regular general election held
in 2016.
  (3) This section is repealed on January 1, 2018. + }
 
  PARAGRAPH 2.  { + The revision proposed by this resolution
shall be submitted to the people for their approval or rejection
at the next primary election. + }
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