HB2255 • 2025

Provides that courts may not defer to an agency's interpretation of a statute or rule.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Representative Yunker,, Diehl, Representative Wright,, Senator Nash,, Robinson,, Smith DB,
Last action: 2025-06-27
Official status: In House Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Provides that courts may not defer to an agency's interpretation of a statute or rule.

Digest: The Act says that courts may not defer to a state agency's thinking about a law or rule.

What This Bill Does

Digest: The Act says that courts may not defer to a state agency's thinking about a law or rule.
The Act says that courts have to use an interpretation that limits agency power and favors people's liberty.
(Flesch Readability Score: 64.0).
Provides that courts may not defer to an agency's interpretation of a statute or rule.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2025-06-27 House
In committee upon adjournment.
2025-01-17 House
Referred to Judiciary.
2025-01-13 House
First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.

Official Summary Text

Digest: The Act says that courts may not defer to a state agency's thinking about a law or rule. The Act says that courts have to use an interpretation that limits agency power and favors people's liberty. (Flesch Readability Score: 64.0).
Provides that courts may not defer to an agency's interpretation of a statute or rule. Directs courts to exercise doubt in favor of an interpretation that limits agency power and maximizes individual liberty.
Relating to: Relating to interpretation of laws.
Current location: In House Committee

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 2255
Sponsored by Representatives YUNKER, DIEHL; Representative WRIGHT, Senators NASH, ROBINSON, SMITH
DB (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. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act says that courts may not defer to a state agency’s thinking about a law or rule.
The Act says that courts have to use an interpretation that limits agency power and favors people’s
liberty. (Flesch Readability Score: 64.0).
Provides that courts may not defer to an agency’s interpretation of a statute or rule. Directs
courts to exercise doubt in favor of an interpretation that limits agency power and maximizes indi-
vidual liberty.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to interpretation of laws.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) “Rule” has the meaning given that term in ORS 183.310.
(b) “State agency” means any officer, board, commission, department, division or insti-
tution in the executive or administrative branch of state government.
(2) In the interpretation of a statute or rule, a court may not defer to a state agency’s
interpretation of the statute or rule.
(3) In a proceeding in which a state agency is a party, the court or other adjudicator,
after applying all customary tools of interpretation, shall exercise any remaining doubt in
favor of a reasonable interpretation that limits agency power and maximizes individual lib-
erty.
NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 621