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HB3687 • 2025

Prohibits a supermajority vote requirement for any question related to a county or city charter.

Prohibits a supermajority vote requirement for any question related to a county or city charter.

Elections
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Representative Chotzen,, Pham H,, Edwards, Representative Gamba,, Hudson,, Senator Pham
Last action
2025-08-07
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.

Prohibits a supermajority vote requirement for any question related to a county or city charter.

Digest: The Act would make it so that elections that affect a county or city charter would have to be by simple majority vote.

What This Bill Does

  • Digest: The Act would make it so that elections that affect a county or city charter would have to be by simple majority vote.
  • (Flesch Readability Score: 62.1).
  • Prohibits a supermajority vote requirement for any question related to a county or city charter.
  • Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

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. 2025-08-07 House

    Chapter 511, (2025 Laws): Effective date September 26, 2025.

  2. 2025-07-17 House

    Governor signed.

  3. 2025-06-27 House

    Speaker signed.

  4. 2025-06-27 Senate

    President signed.

  5. 2025-06-26 Senate

    Third reading. Carried by Pham. Passed. Ayes, 17; Nays, 12--Bonham, Girod, Hayden, Linthicum, McLane, Meek, Nash, Robinson, Smith DB, Starr, Taylor, Weber; Excused, 1--Thatcher.

  6. 2025-06-25 Senate

    Recommendation: Do pass the A-Eng. bill.

  7. 2025-06-25 Senate

    Second reading.

  8. 2025-06-25 Senate

    Rules suspended. Third reading. Carried by Pham. Taken from 06-25 Calendar and placed on 06-26 Calendar by voice vote.

  9. 2025-06-24 Senate

    Work Session held.

  10. 2025-06-18 Senate

    Public Hearing held.

  11. 2025-06-12 Senate

    First reading. Referred to President's desk.

  12. 2025-06-12 Senate

    Referred to Rules.

  13. 2025-06-11 House

    Third reading. Carried by Chotzen. Passed. Ayes, 39; Nays, 15--Boice, Boshart Davis, Breese-Iverson, Cate, Elmer, Harbick, Levy B, Osborne, Owens, Reschke, Scharf, Skarlatos, Smith G, Wright, Yunker; Excused, 4--Diehl, Dobson, Nguyen H, Wallan; Excused for Business of the House, 2--McIntire, Speaker Fahey.

  14. 2025-06-10 House

    Second reading.

  15. 2025-06-09 House

    Recommendation: Do pass with amendments and be printed A-Engrossed.

  16. 2025-06-05 House

    Work Session held.

  17. 2025-03-26 House

    Public Hearing held.

  18. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to Rules.

  19. 2025-02-25 House

    First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.

Official Summary Text

Digest: The Act would make it so that elections that affect a county or city charter would have to be by simple majority vote. (Flesch Readability Score: 62.1).
Prohibits a supermajority vote requirement for any question related to a county or city charter.
Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.
Relating to: Relating to majority vote thresholds for local charters; and prescribing an effective date.
Current location: Chapter Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Enrolled
House Bill 3687
Sponsored by Representatives CHOTZEN, PHAM H, EDWARDS; Representatives GAMBA,
HUDSON, Senator PHAM K
CHAPTER .................................................
AN ACT
Relating to majority vote thresholds for local charters; amending ORS 203.720 and 221.210; and
prescribing an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. ORS 203.720 is amended to read:
203.720. (1) The electors of [ any] the county, by majority vote of such electors voting [ thereon]
on the question at any legally called election, may adopt, amend, revise or repeal a county charter.
(2) The charter, or legislation passed by the county pursuant [ thereto] to the charter , shall
provide a method whereby the electors of the county, by majority vote of such electors voting
[thereon] on the question at any legally called election, may amend, revise or repeal the charter.
(3) The county charter and legislative provisions relating to the amendment, revision or repeal
of the charter are deemed to be matters of county concern and shall prevail over any conflicting
provisions of ORS 203.710 to 203.770 and other state statutes unless otherwise specifically provided
by conflicting state statutes first effective after January 1, 1961.
(4)(a) Notwithstanding the charter of the county or any other provision of law, the
adoption, amendment, revision or repeal of a county charter shall be decided by simple ma-
jority vote.
(b) Nothing in this subsection is intended to prevent a county from amending its charter
to provide for the adoption by a supermajority or double majority vote or by any other
heightened vote requirement of measures imposing or increasing fees, taxes, assessments,
fines, penalties, charges or any other revenue-generating mechanisms of any kind.
SECTION 2.
ORS 221.210 is amended to read:
221.210. (1) The city council may refer and the people may initiate municipal measures or
amendments to the charter of [ a] the city as provided in ORS 250.265 to 250.346, unless ORS 250.255
makes ORS 250.265 to 250.346 inapplicable to the city.
(2)(a) Notwithstanding the charter of the city or any other provision of law, the adoption,
amendment, revision, repeal or surrender of a city charter shall be decided by simple ma-
jority vote.
(b) Nothing in this subsection is intended to prevent a city from amending its charter to
provide for the adoption by a supermajority or double majority vote or by any other height-
ened vote requirement of measures imposing or increasing fees, taxes, assessments, fines,
penalties, charges or any other revenue-generating mechanisms of any kind.
SECTION 3. This 2025 Act takes effect on the 91st day after the date on which the 2025
regular session of the Eighty-third Legislative Assembly adjourns sine die.
Enrolled House Bill 3687 (HB 3687-A)Page 1
Passed by House June 11, 2025
..................................................................................
Timothy G. Sekerak, Chief Clerk of House
..................................................................................
Julie Fahey, Speaker of House
Passed by Senate June 26, 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 3687 (HB 3687-A) Page 2