(1) All meetings of the governing body of a public body shall be open to the public and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting except as otherwise provided by ORS 192.610 to 192.690.
(2) A quorum of a governing body may not meet in private for the purpose of deciding on or deliberating toward a decision on any matter except as otherwise provided by ORS 192.610 to 192.690.
(3) A governing body may not hold a meeting at any place where discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, age, national origin or disability is practiced. However, the fact that organizations with restricted membership hold meetings at the place does not restrict its use by a public body if use of the place by a restricted membership organization is not the primary purpose of the place or its predominate use.
(4) Meetings of the governing body of a public body shall be held within the geographic boundaries over which the public body has jurisdiction, or at the administrative headquarters of the public body or at the other nearest practical location. Training sessions may be held outside the jurisdiction as long as no deliberations toward a decision are involved. A joint meeting of two or more governing bodies or of one or more governing bodies and the elected officials of one or more federally recognized Oregon Indian tribes shall be held within the geographic boundaries over which one of the participating public bodies or one of the Oregon Indian tribes has jurisdiction or at the nearest practical location. Meetings may be held in locations other than those described in this subsection in the event of an actual emergency necessitating immediate action.
(5)(a) It is discrimination on the basis of disability for a governing body of a public body to meet in a place inaccessible to persons with disabilities, or, upon request of a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, to fail to make a good faith effort to have an interpreter for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing provided at a regularly scheduled meeting. The sole remedy for discrimination on the basis of disability shall be as provided in ORS 192.680.
(b) The person requesting the interpreter shall give the governing body at least 48 hours’ notice of the request for an interpreter, shall provide the name of the requester, sign language preference and any other relevant information the governing body may request.
(c) If a meeting is held upon less than 48 hours’ notice, reasonable effort shall be made to have an interpreter present, but the requirement for an interpreter does not apply to emergency meetings.
(d) If certification of interpreters occurs under state or federal law, the Department of Human Services or other state or local agency shall try to refer only certified interpreters to governing bodies for purposes of this subsection.
(e) As used in this subsection, “good faith effort” includes, but is not limited to, contacting the department or other state or local agency that maintains a list of qualified interpreters and arranging for the referral of one or more such persons to provide interpreter services. [1973 c.172 §3; 1979 c.644 §2; 1989 c.1019 §1; 1995 c.626 §1; 2003 c.14 §95; 2005 c.663 §12; 2007 c.70 §52]
Note: The amendments to 192.630 by section 21, chapter 100, Oregon Laws 2007, are the subject of a referendum petition that may be filed with the Secretary of State not later than September 26, 2007. If the referendum petition is filed with the required number of signatures of electors, chapter 100, Oregon Laws 2007, will be submitted to the people for their approval or rejection at the regular general election held on November 4, 2008. If approved by the people at the general election, chapter 100, Oregon Laws 2007, takes effect December 4, 2008. If the referendum petition is not filed with the Secretary of State or does not contain the required number of signatures of electors, the amendments to 192.630 by section 21, chapter 100, Oregon Laws 2007, take effect January 1, 2008. 192.630, as amended by section 21, chapter 100, Oregon Laws 2007, and including amendments by section 52, chapter 70, Oregon Laws 2007, is set forth for the user’s convenience.
192.630. (1) All meetings of the governing body of a public body shall be open to the public and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting except as otherwise provided by ORS 192.610 to 192.690.
(2) A quorum of a governing body may not meet in private for the purpose of deciding on or deliberating toward a decision on any matter except as otherwise provided by ORS 192.610 to 192.690.
(3) A governing body may not hold a meeting at any place where discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age or disability is practiced. However, the fact that organizations with restricted membership hold meetings at the place does not restrict its use by a public body if use of the place by a restricted membership organization is not the primary purpose of the place or its predominate use.
(4) Meetings of the governing body of a public body shall be held within the geographic boundaries over which the public body has jurisdiction, or at the administrative headquarters of the public body or at the other nearest practical location. Training sessions may be held outside the jurisdiction as long as no deliberations toward a decision are involved. A joint meeting of two or more governing bodies or of one or more governing bodies and the elected officials of one or more federally recognized Oregon Indian tribes shall be held within the geographic boundaries over which one of the participating public bodies or one of the Oregon Indian tribes has jurisdiction or at the nearest practical location. Meetings may be held in locations other than those described in this subsection in the event of an actual emergency necessitating immediate action.
(5)(a) It is discrimination on the basis of disability for a governing body of a public body to meet in a place inaccessible to persons with disabilities, or, upon request of a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, to fail to make a good faith effort to have an interpreter for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing provided at a regularly scheduled meeting. The sole remedy for discrimination on the basis of disability shall be as provided in ORS 192.680.
(b) The person requesting the interpreter shall give the governing body at least 48 hours’ notice of the request for an interpreter, shall provide the name of the requester, sign language preference and any other relevant information the governing body may request.
(c) If a meeting is held upon less than 48 hours’ notice, reasonable effort shall be made to have an interpreter present, but the requirement for an interpreter does not apply to emergency meetings.
(d) If certification of interpreters occurs under state or federal law, the Department of Human Services or other state or local agency shall try to refer only certified interpreters to governing bodies for purposes of this subsection.
(e) As used in this subsection, “good faith effort” includes, but is not limited to, contacting the department or other state or local agency that maintains a list of qualified interpreters and arranging for the referral of one or more qualified interpreters to provide interpreter services.
Section: Previous 192.580 192.585 192.587 192.590 192.595 192.610 192.620 192.630 192.640 192.650 192.660 192.670 192.680 192.685 192.690 NextLast modified: August 7, 2008