Signed by Governor Kate Brown

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires the Secretary of State make available a list of the 5 most common spoken languages other than english by state residents in each county.

Highlights:

• Defines “statewide office” as Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries, or judge on the Oregon Supreme Court, the Oregon Court of Appeals, or the Oregon Tax Court (Sec. 3-7).

• Requires the Secretary of State to create and make publicly available a list of (Sec. 2-1):

• The 5 most commonly spoken languages in the state, other than English; and

• The 5 most commonly spoken languages in each county, other than English.

• Requires the Secretary of State to have the following portions of the voters’ pamphlet professionally translated into each language for which a translation is required for each state voters’ pamphlet and county voters’ pamphlet mailed to residents of a county (Sec. 3-2):

• Any official statement or communication made by the Secretary of State, county clerk, filing office, or other public elections official, including any information regarding services offered by elections offices, how to cast a ballot, and key dates for the election;

• The ballot title for each measure;

• The explanatory statement for each measure;

• The financial estimate for each measure and any statement prepared for a measure;

• Any racial and ethnic impact statement prepared for a measure;

• Any statement submitted for a measure by a citizen panel; and

• Any other statement for a measure created by a public body.

• Requires the Secretary of State to allow to be included in the translated version of each state voters’ pamphlet that is made available on the website of the Secretary of State or of a county (Sec. 3-3):

• Translations of a candidate statement provided that:

• The candidate is a candidate for federal or statewide office;

• The translation is filed by a candidate or the principal campaign committee of a candidate;

• Neither the translation nor the candidate statement;

• The candidate statement meets the requirements of a candidate statement set forth in this chapter; and

• Any translation filed under this paragraph is in one of the five most commonly spoken languages in this state, other than English, as listed by the Secretary of State.

• Translations of an argument in support of or in opposition to a state measure provided that:

• The translation is filed by the person who filed the argument in support of or in opposition to a state measure;

• Neither the translation nor the argument in support of or in opposition to a state measure;

• The statement in support of or in opposition to a state measure meets the requirements of a statement in support of or in opposition to a state measure; and

• Any translation filed under this paragraph is in one of the five most commonly spoken languages in this state, other than English, as listed by the Secretary of State; and

• Translations of any argument for a measure prepared by the Legislative Assembly submitted by the Legislative Assembly, provided that any translation filed under this law is in one of the 5 most commonly spoken languages in this state, other than English, as listed by the Secretary of State.

• Specifies the Secretary of State (Sec. 3-6):

• May adopt any rules necessary to implement this section; and

• Is responsible for all costs necessary to comply with this law.

• Requires the following of statements in the information section of the voters’ pamphlet on the pages immediately following the page containing the Secretary of State letter, to the extent reasonably practicable, that, for residents of each county to which the voters’ pamphlet is distributed (Sec. 4-2.b):

• Are written in English and the 5 additional common languages for the county listed by the Secretary of State;

• Explain that an electronic copy of portions of the voters’ pamphlet is publicly available in that language; and

• Provide the website address to the translated voters’ pamphlet.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires the Secretary of State make available a list of the 5 most common spoken languages other than english by state residents in each county.

Highlights:

• Defines “statewide office” as Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries, or judge on the Oregon Supreme Court, the Oregon Court of Appeals, or the Oregon Tax Court (Sec. 3-7).

• Requires the Secretary of State to create and make publicly available a list of (Sec. 2-1):

• The 5 most commonly spoken languages in the state, other than English; and

• The 5 most commonly spoken languages in each county, other than English.

• Requires the Secretary of State to have the following portions of the voters’ pamphlet professionally translated into each language for which a translation is required for each state voters’ pamphlet and county voters’ pamphlet mailed to residents of a county (Sec. 3-2):

• Any official statement or communication made by the Secretary of State, county clerk, filing office, or other public elections official, including any information regarding services offered by elections offices, how to cast a ballot, and key dates for the election;

• The ballot title for each measure;

• The explanatory statement for each measure;

• The financial estimate for each measure and any statement prepared for a measure;

• Any racial and ethnic impact statement prepared for a measure;

• Any statement submitted for a measure by a citizen panel; and

• Any other statement for a measure created by a public body.

• Requires the Secretary of State to allow to be included in the translated version of each state voters’ pamphlet that is made available on the website of the Secretary of State or of a county (Sec. 3-3):

• Translations of a candidate statement provided that:

• The candidate is a candidate for federal or statewide office;

• The translation is filed by a candidate or the principal campaign committee of a candidate;

• Neither the translation nor the candidate statement;

• The candidate statement meets the requirements of a candidate statement set forth in this chapter; and

• Any translation filed under this paragraph is in one of the five most commonly spoken languages in this state, other than English, as listed by the Secretary of State.

• Translations of an argument in support of or in opposition to a state measure provided that:

• The translation is filed by the person who filed the argument in support of or in opposition to a state measure;

• Neither the translation nor the argument in support of or in opposition to a state measure;

• The statement in support of or in opposition to a state measure meets the requirements of a statement in support of or in opposition to a state measure; and

• Any translation filed under this paragraph is in one of the five most commonly spoken languages in this state, other than English, as listed by the Secretary of State; and

• Translations of any argument for a measure prepared by the Legislative Assembly submitted by the Legislative Assembly, provided that any translation filed under this law is in one of the 5 most commonly spoken languages in this state, other than English, as listed by the Secretary of State.

• Specifies the Secretary of State (Sec. 3-6):

• May adopt any rules necessary to implement this section; and

• Is responsible for all costs necessary to comply with this law.

• Requires the following of statements in the information section of the voters’ pamphlet on the pages immediately following the page containing the Secretary of State letter, to the extent reasonably practicable, that, for residents of each county to which the voters’ pamphlet is distributed (Sec. 4-2.b):

• Are written in English and the 5 additional common languages for the county listed by the Secretary of State;

• Explain that an electronic copy of portions of the voters’ pamphlet is publicly available in that language; and

• Provide the website address to the translated voters’ pamphlet.

Full Bill Text