HB2876 • 2025

Provides that the governing body of a county shall be a nonpartisan board of five commissioners elected by the people of the county unless county voters choose not to do so.

Elections

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Representative Evans
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 the governing body of a county shall be a nonpartisan board of five commissioners elected by the people of the county unless county voters choose not to do so.

Digest: The Act would make all counties have a nonpartisan board of commissioners unless voters in the county choose not to do so.

What This Bill Does

Digest: The Act would make all counties have a nonpartisan board of commissioners unless voters in the county choose not to do so.
(Flesch Readability Score: 61.4).
Provides that the governing body of a county shall be a nonpartisan board of five commissioners elected by the people of the county unless county voters choose not to do so.
Requires a county to provide by ordinance or resolution for the structure of the board, the board districts, if any, the election procedures and compensation for the commissioners if the county voters have not chosen to exempt the county from the provisions.

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 Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans.
2025-01-13 House
First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.

Official Summary Text

Digest: The Act would make all counties have a nonpartisan board of commissioners unless voters in the county choose not to do so. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.4).
Provides that the governing body of a county shall be a nonpartisan board of five commissioners elected by the people of the county unless county voters choose not to do so. Requires a county to provide by ordinance or resolution for the structure of the board, the board districts, if any, the election procedures and compensation for the commissioners if the county voters have not chosen to exempt the county from the provisions.
Becomes operative on January 1, 2027.
Relating to: Relating to county governing bodies.
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 2876
Sponsored by Representative EVANS (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 would make all counties have a nonpartisan board of commissioners unless
voters in the county choose not to do so. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.4).
Provides that the governing body of a county shall be a nonpartisan board of five commissioners
elected by the people of the county unless county voters choose not to do so. Requires a county to
provide by ordinance or resolution for the structure of the board, the board districts, if any, the
election procedures and compensation for the commissioners if the county voters have not chosen
to exempt the county from the provisions.
Becomes operative on January 1, 2027.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to county governing bodies.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
(1) Except as otherwise provided by the charter of the county or subsection
(3) of this section, the governing body of a county shall be a nonpartisan board consisting
of five commissioners elected by the people of the county.
(2) The county shall provide by ordinance or resolution for the structure of the board,
the board districts, if any, the election procedures and compensation for the commissioners.
(3) A county is exempt from the requirements of subsections (1) and (2) of this section
if a county measure that exempts the county from subsections (1) and (2) of this section is
approved by the voters of the county. The county measure may be proposed by initiative
petition, or referred to the people by the governing body of the county, at an election held
on a date specified in ORS 203.085 (1).
SECTION 2.
(1) Section 1 of this 2025 Act becomes operative on January 1, 2027.
(2) Notwithstanding the operative date set forth in subsection (1) of this section, all
county officers and employees may take any action before the operative date set forth in
subsection (1) of this section that is necessary for nonpartisan county boards of commis-
sioners to exercise, on and after the operative date set forth in subsection (1) of this section,
all of the duties, functions and powers conferred on nonpartisan county boards of commis-
sioners by section 1 of this 2025 Act.
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 2044