Summary#

SCR 209 is an Oregon Senate concurrent resolution that sets deadlines for measures to be filed before the 2027 regular session. It is a rule for legislative proceedings, not a change to another law; its stated goal is to establish a schedule for preparing and filing those measures.

• Members and committees must request draft measures from the Office of the Legislative Counsel by 5 p.m. September 11, 2026. Each request must include a brief summary of the problem, proposed solution and other relevant information.
• The Legislative Counsel’s office must deliver the drafts to requesters by 5 p.m. December 1, 2026.
• Requesters must submit drafts for introduction to the Senate or House desk by 5 p.m. December 11, 2026.
• The President of the Senate, the House Interim Committee on Rules and the Joint Interim Committee on Ways and Means are exempt from those deadlines. The resolution does not expressly exempt them from the summary requirement.

What it means for you#

• Legislators, committees and other requesters: They must meet the applicable deadlines to have measures presession-filed. The resolution does not explain what happens if a deadline is missed.
• Office of the Legislative Counsel: It must deliver requested drafts by December 1.
• General public: The resolution sets an internal legislative schedule. It does not directly change public rights, taxes, fees or benefits.

Money#

No cost information is in the available material.

• The resolution assigns draft-preparation work to the Legislative Counsel’s office but gives no cost, staffing or funding estimate.
• It does not set a tax, fee, fine or appropriation.

What is unclear#

• The resolution does not define “presession-filed.”
• It does not say how missed deadlines, late requests or delays in delivering drafts will be handled.
• It does not set standards for what counts as a sufficient “brief summary” or “other relevant information.”
• It does not explain whether or how the deadline exemptions affect the timing of measures from the named offices and committees.

Case for#

• The bill appears intended to give legislators, committees and the drafting office set dates for preparing measures before the 2027 session.
• Requiring a short explanation with each draft request could help the drafting office understand the problem and proposed solution.
• A deadline for delivering drafts gives requesters time between December 1 and December 11 to submit them for introduction.

Case against#

• The schedule leaves only ten days between the draft-delivery deadline and the filing deadline; the resolution does not provide a way to extend that period.
• The named exemptions mean some offices and committees are not bound by the same deadlines.
• The resolution does not state what consequences follow if a requester or the drafting office misses a deadline.