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Volume 4, Issue 2 - Spring 2023 |
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Are you a registered lobbyist with OGEC, or a client/employer who contracts with or employs a lobbyist? Lobbyists and their client/employers who are registered with OGEC must file quarterly expenditure reports, even if they made no expenditures. We know the expenditure reports can be a bit daunting, and we are here to provide help.
Let's take a look at the requirements.
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Government Ethics Law Reference Desk |
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Too often, people think that the term “public official” only applies to elected officials. That is not the case. The definition of public official includes any person serving the State or any of its political subdivisions or any other public body as an elected official, appointed official, employee or agent, regardless of whether they are paid or not. [ORS 244.020(15)].
Examples of public officials include:
- Elected Port Commissioner
- Employed building inspector
- Volunteer firefighter
- Citizen serving on a city’s budget committee
- School librarian
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A number of the ethics laws refer to financial impacts on public officials and also on their relatives. For the purposes of applying the ethics laws, you need to know who does, and does not, count as a relative.
The definition of relative includes the public official’s spouse. It also includes the parent, stepparent, child, sibling, stepsibling, son-in-law or daughter-in-law of the public official or of their spouse. Relative also includes anyone for whom the public official has a legal support obligation, and anyone for whom or from whom the public official provides or receives benefits arising from employment. [ORS 244.020(16)].
So under these definitions, parents are relatives; grandparents are not. Siblings are relatives, but nieces and nephews are not. Friends (even BFFs) are not relatives. But an ex-wife or ex-husband could still be a relative, if you have a legal support obligation (such as alimony).
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Is your sister-in-law a relative?
Based on the information above and the definition in ORS 244.020(16), what do you think? Choose your answer below to find out the answer.
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It happens, time gets away from us and here we are. And now you’re probably wondering how to make it go away.
- One way is to take it head-on, pay the penalty and promise yourself to never let this happen again.
- The other is to reach out to the Commission, explain your situation, and request the penalty be waived. This request will go before the Commission and will be voted on based on the recommendation of the Executive Director.
In the end, no one wants a penalty, but taking care of it allows us to focus on the more pleasant things in life.
Payments for penalties can be made either in person or by mail at:
Oregon Government Ethics Commission
3218 Pringle Rd SE, Ste 220
Salem, OR 97302-1680
Requests to mitigate a penalty can be submitted to the address above or via email at mail@ogec.oregon.gov .
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OGEC is committed to providing quality customer service to the residents of Oregon. Each year, we conduct a customer satisfaction survey to determine what we are doing right and learn where we can improve. Your answers are part of our Annual Key Performance Measures report that we publish and share with the legislature.
The survey should take about five minutes to complete. You do not need to provide your name or contact information unless you would like a staff member to follow-up with you.
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Do you have questions on how the laws within OGEC's jurisdiction apply to you? One of OGEC's roles is to assist public officials in understanding how the laws may apply to particular situations.
OGEC staff may only provide advice on future or hypothetical scenarios, not events that have already occurred. Advice issued by OGEC not only assists you in complying with the laws within our jurisdiction but also can protect you if OGEC receives a complaint against you. If you have followed OGEC's written advice, the penalties the Commission can assess will be reduced or eliminated.
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The Commission will consider a public official's good faith reliance on staff advice before imposing a penalty. Advice can take up to seven days. [ORS 244.284]
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The Commission may only issue a letter of reprimand or education to a public official who acted in good faith reliance on a staff advisory opinion. Staff advisory opinions can take up to 30 days. [ORS 244.282]
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The Commission may not impose a penalty on a public official for any good faith action taken in reliance on a commission advisory opinion. Commission advisory opinions can take up to 60 days. [ORS 244.280]
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Advice can easily be requested on the phone, online, by email, or in person.
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Finding Issued Advice
Advice that has been issued by OGEC is available to view online. To search and view advice visit the OGEC database.
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Did you know that OGEC offers free trainings on the three areas of our jurisdiction, Oregon Government Ethics Law, Lobby Law, and the Executive Session provisions of Public Meetings Law?
Our engaging trainers, Charlie and Stephanie, are able to breakdown the complexities of the law, provide real life examples, and answer questions.
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We offer live webinars, open to anyone, on:
- Conflicts of Interest/ Use of Office
- Gifts
- New Employee Orientation
- Executive Sessions
- Lobby Law
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Is your public body looking for training on Ethics Law, Lobby Law, or Executive Sessions?
Interested in hosting a training and inviting neighboring public bodies?
We offer customized trainings both in person and virtually. Request your training today!
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 Nearly 6,000 public officials were required to file a Statement of Economic Interest this year. Once a public official files their SEI, it becomes part of the public record. You can easily lookup not only SEIs but also Lobbyist and Lobby Client/Employer registrations and expenditures through our Public Records Lookup page, no account or login needed.
You can either look up a specific public official or all public officials that have filed by category, jurisdiction, or office. To view records for the 2023 filing year, select the following options in the first row of fields:
- Select Report Type: Filers
- Select Filer Type: SEI
- Set Year: 2023
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We have been introducing one of our newer Commissioners in each newsletter. We are excited to be able to feature Shenoa Payne this quarter, who was one of the two newest Commissioners that were confirmed by the Senate in September 2022.
We asked Commissioner Payne to answer a few questions for our readers to get to know her a bit better.
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I am a sixth-generation Oregonian who was born and raised in Sheridan, OR. My family were pioneers who traversed the Oregon Trail and settled here in Peedee, OR. I deeply care about Oregon and its residents. I have a tattoo of Oregon's motto in Latin, Alis Volat Propis, which means "She flies with her own wings." I try to embody Oregon's independent spirit.
I live in NW Portland with my wire hair terrier Frances. I have my own law practice in downtown Portland, where I practice civil rights litigation and appellate law. I have been practicing for about 14.5 years. I primarily represent individuals who have experienced discrimination on the basis of a protected class in their place of employment, housing, education, public accommodations, or in government services.
What inspired you to apply to be a member of OGEC?
Public trust in our government is more important now than ever. I wanted to join OGEC to serve the public, to ensure accountability for public officials, ensure public trust in our government, and to promote a healthy democracy.
What aspect of the Commission are you most looking forward to?
I really look forward to continuing to work closely with both Democrats and Republicans on issues that transcend politics and that benefit everyone in our state. Even in the short time I have served on OGEC so far, the discussion have been professional, courteous, productive, and for the benefit of all Oregonians. At a time when our politics are so divided, it is refreshing to sit on a body where the Commissioners are there to serve the people above politics.
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Are you interested in government transparency? There is currently an open Commission position at OGEC. Meetings occur about every six weeks. Information on previous and upcoming Commission meetings can be found on on our Meetings webpage.
No more than three of the members of the Commission may be from the same political party. To be eligible for the open position, you must not be affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican parties. Please make sure to state your political affiliation in your application.
For more information and to submit your application, please see the position description on Workday.
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Join us in welcoming our newest staff member Jessica who joined OGEC in March as part of our administrative staff.
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I was born on Beale Air Force Base in CA and my family moved to Portland when I was little. In my early teens, my mother and I moved to Stayton, where I attended high school at Cascade. After graduation, I worked for almost 10 years doing retail sales management, including managing Wunderland, Game Stop, and Electronics Boutique. I graduated from Chemeketa Community College in Salem in 2012 before graduating with a Bachelor's in Human Health and Behavior from Western Oregon University in 2016. Since 2018, I have worked as an administrative assistant for the Department of Human Services before working for the last few years as a recruiter.
What inspired you to apply to OGEC?
I wanted to move away from the recruiting world but still wanted to feel that my work was making a difference. I decided to return to State, thinking it was the best way to serve my community.
What is your favorite part of your job here?
So far, I really like the people I work with. Everyone is so friendly and helpful and has a great sense of humor.
Dogs or Cats?
Yes! I have two dogs, one cat, three pet rats, and a 20-gallon freshwater fish tank. I love animals and would probably try to pet a crocodile if I thought it wouldn’t eat me.
Any hobbies or passions that you would care to share or talk about?
I am super into sci-fi and fantasy movies, especially post-apocalypse/future dystopian like Blade Runner or Dune. I am an avid PC gamer and that’s usually how I spend most of my free time. During the summer, I love to be at the beach, the river, or camping with my fiancé, our two daughters, and our dogs!
Please say hi Jessica when you call in, she's most likely to be the person who answers your call.
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Congratulations to long time staff member David Hunter on his recent promotion. You may know David as the voice of OGEC if you have called our office, as he has worked for OGEC since 2017. With nearly 20 years of service with the State, he is really appreciating the variety of tasks he is responsible for in his new role, but particularly enjoys helping the public comply with OGEC filing requirements. If you need assistance with filing your Lobbyist Quarterly Expenditure reports or your annual Statement of Economic Interest, David will be here to assist you with the process! |
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OGEC has implemented a new email subscription service to make it easier for you to learn about updates on the topics which interest you. You are subscribed to the OGEC Ethics Matters newsletter, which you will continue to receive quarterly. In addition, you can now sign-up for email updates on specific topics.
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Upcoming Commission Meetings
- July 14, 2023
- August 25, 2023
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