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HB3385 • 2025

Modifies the statute that governs the fee schedule for public records filed with a county clerk.

Modifies the statute that governs the fee schedule for public records filed with a county clerk.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Rules
Last action
2025-05-20
Official status
Chapter Number Assigned
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.

Modifies the statute that governs the fee schedule for public records filed with a county clerk.

Digest: Exempts public records filed with a county clerk from the fee schedule.

What This Bill Does

  • Digest: Exempts public records filed with a county clerk from the fee schedule.
  • (Flesch Readability Score: 74.8).
  • Modifies the statute that governs the fee schedule for public records filed with a county clerk.
  • Relating to: Relating to public record fees.

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

  1. 2025-05-20 House

    Chapter 30, (2025 Laws): Effective date January 1, 2026.

  2. 2025-05-07 House

    Governor signed.

  3. 2025-04-29 House

    Speaker signed.

  4. 2025-04-29 Senate

    President signed.

  5. 2025-04-28 Senate

    Third reading. Carried by Manning Jr. Passed. Ayes, 28; Nays, 1--Robinson.

  6. 2025-04-24 Senate

    Carried over to 04-28 by unanimous consent.

  7. 2025-04-23 Senate

    Carried over to 04-24 by unanimous consent.

  8. 2025-04-22 Senate

    Carried over to 04-23 by unanimous consent.

  9. 2025-04-21 Senate

    Carried over to 04-22 by unanimous consent.

  10. 2025-04-17 Senate

    Carried over to 04-21 by unanimous consent.

  11. 2025-04-16 Senate

    Carried over to 04-17 by unanimous consent.

  12. 2025-04-15 Senate

    Carried over to 04-16 by unanimous consent.

  13. 2025-04-14 Senate

    Carried over to 04-15 by unanimous consent.

  14. 2025-04-10 Senate

    Recommendation: Do pass.

  15. 2025-04-10 Senate

    Second reading.

  16. 2025-04-07 Senate

    Work Session held.

  17. 2025-04-02 Senate

    Public Hearing held.

  18. 2025-03-11 Senate

    Referred to Rules.

  19. 2025-03-10 Senate

    First reading. Referred to President's desk.

  20. 2025-03-06 House

    Third reading. Carried by Kropf. Passed. Ayes, 55; Nays, 1--Yunker; Excused, 3--Helm, Nguyen H, Wallan; Excused for Business of the House, 1--McIntire.

  21. 2025-03-04 House

    Rules suspended. Carried over to March 6, 2025 Calendar.

  22. 2025-02-27 House

    Second reading.

  23. 2025-02-25 House

    Recommendation: Do pass.

  24. 2025-02-24 House

    Work Session held.

  25. 2025-02-03 House

    Public Hearing held.

  26. 2025-01-30 House

    Referred to Rules.

  27. 2025-01-28 House

    First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.

Official Summary Text

Digest: Exempts public records filed with a county clerk from the fee schedule. (Flesch Readability Score: 74.8).
Modifies the statute that governs the fee schedule for public records filed with a county clerk.
Relating to: Relating to public record fees.
Current location: Chapter Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Enrolled
House Bill 3385
Sponsored by COMMITTEE ON RULES (at the request of Oregon Association of County Clerks)
CHAPTER .................................................
AN ACT
Relating to public record fees; amending ORS 192.324.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
ORS 192.324 is amended to read:
192.324. (1) A public body that is the custodian of any public record that a person has a right
to inspect shall give the person, upon receipt of a written request:
(a) A copy of the public record if the public record is of a nature permitting copying; or
(b) A reasonable opportunity to inspect or copy the public record.
(2) If an individual who is identified in a public body’s procedure described in subsection (7)(a)
of this section receives a written request to inspect or receive a copy of a public record, the public
body shall within five business days after receiving the request acknowledge receipt of the request
or complete the public body’s response to the request. An acknowledgment under this subsection
must:
(a) Confirm that the public body is the custodian of the requested record;
(b) Inform the requester that the public body is not the custodian of the requested record; or
(c) Notify the requester that the public body is uncertain whether the public body is the custo-
dian of the requested record.
(3) If the public record is maintained in a machine readable or electronic form, the public body
shall provide a copy of the public record in the form requested, if available. If the public record is
not available in the form requested, the public body shall make the public record available in the
form in which the public body maintains the public record.
(4)(a) The public body may establish fees reasonably calculated to reimburse the public body for
the public body’s actual cost of making public records available, including costs for summarizing,
compiling or tailoring the public records, either in organization or media, to meet the request.
(b) The public body may include in a fee established under paragraph (a) of this subsection the
cost of time spent by an attorney for the public body in reviewing the public records, redacting
material from the public records or segregating the public records into exempt and nonexempt re-
cords. The public body may not include in a fee established under paragraph (a) of this subsection
the cost of time spent by an attorney for the public body in determining the application of the pro-
visions of ORS 192.311 to 192.478.
(c) The public body may not establish a fee greater than $25 under this section unless the public
body first provides the requester with a written notification of the estimated amount of the fee and
the requester confirms that the requester wants the public body to proceed with making the public
record available.
Enrolled House Bill 3385 (HB 3385-INTRO) Page 1
(d) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) to (c) of this subsection, when the public records are those
filed with :
(A) The Secretary of State under ORS chapter 79 or ORS 80.100 to 80.130, the fees for furnish-
ing copies, summaries or compilations of the public records are the fees established by the Secretary
of State by rule under ORS chapter 79 or ORS 80.100 to 80.130.
(B) A county clerk, the fees for copies of records are the fees established under ORS
205.320.
(5) The custodian of a public record may furnish copies without charge or at a substantially
reduced fee if the custodian determines that the waiver or reduction of fees is in the public interest
because making the record available primarily benefits the general public.
(6) A requester who believes that there has been an unreasonable denial of a fee waiver or fee
reduction may petition the Attorney General or the district attorney in the same manner as a re-
quester who petitions when inspection of a public record is denied under ORS 192.311 to 192.478.
The Attorney General, the district attorney and the court have the same authority in instances
when a fee waiver or reduction is denied as when inspection of a public record is denied.
(7) A public body shall make available to the public a written procedure for making public re-
cords requests that includes:
(a) The name of one or more individuals within the public body to whom public records requests
may be sent, with addresses; and
(b) The amounts of and the manner of calculating fees that the public body charges for re-
sponding to requests for public records.
(8) This section does not apply to signatures of individuals submitted under ORS chapter 247 for
purposes of registering to vote as provided in ORS 247.973.
Passed by House March 6, 2025
..................................................................................
Timothy G. Sekerak, Chief Clerk of House
..................................................................................
Julie Fahey, Speaker of House
Passed by Senate April 28, 2025
..................................................................................
Rob Wagner, President of Senate
Received by Governor:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
Approved:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tina Kotek, Governor
Filed in Office of Secretary of State:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tobias Read, Secretary of State
Enrolled House Bill 3385 (HB 3385-INTRO) Page 2