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Hot Topics
 Just a Little Summer Reading
It might be heating up outside, but at OGEC we're staying cool for the summer and looking more closely at a variety of topics in Lobby Law and Public Meetings Law. Read on to learn more about our new Commissioner's favorite Oregon summer activities, check in with the training team on their latest updates, and refresh your memory on the best ways to look up a variety of public records on OGEC's website!
Soirees to Getaways: Lobbying Activities
Oregon law requires certain folks who have engaged in lobbying to register with OGEC as lobbyists. When it comes to lobbying in Oregon, you need to be mindful of how many hours and how much money you spend on lobbying activities.
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Putting on Your PFD (Personal Flotation Device) for PML (Public Meetings Law)
Keeping up with Public Meetings Law can feel like navigating a fast moving current. At OGEC, we want to be a resource for you. Advice from OGEC can be the needed PFD to keep you and your governing body afloat.
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 Public Meetings Law requires some public officials to take a training during their term of office, you might be one of them!
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 The public needs to know when, where, and what is happening at your public meetings. The meeting notice is a required tool to keep the public informed.
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A Note from the Executive Director
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As the 2025 legislative session moves towards closing, we're turning our attention to a number of bills passed that impact the laws in our jurisdiction.
Public Meetings Law
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SB 1109 Provides clarification on which governing bodies of educational institutions are required to post video recordings of their meetings.
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Government Ethics Law
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HB 2930 Includes members of the household in the definitions for conflicts of interest.
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HB 2932 Allows a public official to accept a position teaching at a post-secondary institution without it being a prohibited use of position.
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SB 983 Requires governing body members to disclose a conflict of interest before voting on a budget that includes their own stipends or compensation for a relative.
In addition, staff are gearing up for the rulemaking process for Government Ethics Law. This includes updates to the Rulemaking page on our website. I encourage you to check back frequently to stay up to date on OGEC's rulemaking process, including upcoming opportunities for public participation.
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For more information on applying to be part of the upcoming Government Ethics Law Rules Advisory Committee, subscribe for email updates.
- Susan V. Myers
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Customer Satisfaction Survey
Got a sec? Help shape the future of our services!
If you have taken a training, requested advice, or taken part in the Commission's process, please take OGEC's customer satisfaction survey. It takes about 5 minutes to complete, and your responses help us ensure we continue to meet the needs of our community.
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Surfing the Net: A Refresher on OGEC's Public Records
A variety of OGEC's public records are accessible and searchable through our Public Records Lookup linked on our website. This includes advice issued by OGEC staff, Commission and staff advisory opinions, lobbying expenditure reports, and annually filed Statements of Economic Interest.
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Take a Dip in the Training Corner
 So far, in 2025, OGEC's Training Team has trained more than 3083 people. That's more people than OGEC trained in the entire 2021-2023 biennium, and we're still only halfway through this year! We're keeping up the pace with new quick reference guides for Public Meetings Law and more options for in-person trainings all around Oregon this summer.
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New Training Resources!
It can be hard to remember exactly what is in the statutes in Ethics, Lobby, or Public Meetings Law. Especially when you might be in the middle of a situation and just need a quick overview! That’s why our training team has created different handouts to help provide a simpler look at some of the key terms in the statutes. They don’t replace reading the statutes themselves, but are a supplement and available on our website. Plus, we just released our new Public Meetings Law Checklist and Executive Session Checklist. Both are designed to help prepare for a meeting.
These checklists make it easy for governing body members to remember what the requirements are for each public meeting and ensure they aren’t missing any steps. Find these handouts and more helpful resources on our Training Resources page!
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Summer Classes are Right Around the Corner
Education is one of our highest priorities at OGEC, so we’re planning on even more trainings in 2025. We’ve started the year off strong and have already delivered a variety of Public Meetings Law and Government Ethics Law trainings across the state.
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Live Webinars
To sign up for a webinar, click on the calendar event for that day and then click the "Register Here" link.
Public Meetings Law webinars are available every week. Government Ethics topics are being offered monthly.
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Training Opportunities
We’re currently booking trainings for August and beyond, with webinars available to register through October.
Whether you’re looking to learn more about Government Ethics Law, Public Meetings Law, or Lobby Law, our training team has a training for you.
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Strategic Plan Updates
 To show our commitment to OGEC's Strategic Plan and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Plan efforts, we provide progress reports on them twice a year.
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OGEC's Ideals
- Serve Oregonians by educating public officials on the laws within OGEC's jurisdiction.
- Ensure OGEC resources are available, and used efficiently, effectively, and transparently.
- Strive for excellence and be accountable to the public we serve.
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Strategic Plan Accountability Update
In the Strategic Plan for 2025-27, OGEC identified three key strategic goals that support OGEC’s ideals with objectives and subgoals to work toward. These goals directly tie into OGEC’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan, Succession Plan, and Affirmative Action Plan. OGEC utilized contributions from staff, Commissioners, and solicited feedback from the “Ethics Matters” newsletter to define the goals.
The three areas of focus for the strategic plan include:
- Increasing training access
- Improving and increasing the accessibility of OGEC resources
- Implementation of our Succession, Affirmative Action, and Diversity Equity and Inclusion plans
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Welcome Commissioner Ann Metler
We are honored to introduce one of our newest Commissioners, Ann Metler. She brings a wealth of public service experience to the Commission. In keeping with our new Commissioner tradition, we've asked her to provide some answers to our team's questions.
What is your favorite Oregon summertime activity?
Spending time with my family boating and biking in Southern Oregon.
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Would you tell us about your journey to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission and share how your experiences inform your approach to public service?
My path to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission has been shaped by a lifelong commitment to public service and a deep belief in fairness, transparency, and accountability. I currently serve as an attorney, but my professional and volunteer experience spans a range of roles that have all centered on service and advocacy—whether working as a social service worker, a victim advocate, serving on a citizen's foster care review board, participating in a child abuse prevention team, or helping organize religious freedom seminars through a multi-faith planning committee.
These experiences have given me a well-rounded perspective on how public systems impact real people—particularly middle-class families and small business owners, whom I feel a strong responsibility to represent and support. I’ve seen firsthand how vital it is that public institutions uphold ethical standards, not just in letter but in spirit.
Joining the Oregon Ethics Commission was a natural extension of that commitment. I believe ethical governance is essential to building and maintaining public trust, and I’m proud to contribute to that effort by helping ensure accountability and fairness across all levels of government.
What aspect of the Commission are you most looking forward to?
I’m most looking forward to the opportunity to help uphold and strengthen the public’s trust in government. Serving on the Oregon Ethics Commission allows me to contribute to fair and impartial oversight—something I believe is essential to a healthy democracy. I’m especially eager to engage with complex ethical questions and bring both legal analysis and lived experience to the table, drawing on my background in social services, advocacy, and law.
I also look forward to collaborating with others who are equally committed to ethical governance. Being part of a body that ensures public officials are held to clear, consistent standards is both a serious responsibility and a meaningful way to serve Oregonians—especially middle-class families and small business owners who rely on transparent, accountable leadership.
Any other relevant details that you feel should be shared, or want to be included?
I’m also looking forward to supporting public officials through education and guidance—helping them better understand how to navigate ethical challenges before they become problems. I also value thoughtful dialogue and look forward to working with a diverse group of commissioners to find fair, well-reasoned solutions.
Thank you, Commissioner Metler - we appreciate your service!
OGEC Welcomes Commissioner Peter Janci
Peter Janci attended his first meeting with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission on May 9th, 2025. Welcome, Commissioner Janci! We'll hear from Commissioner Janci in a future newsletter.
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Staff Spotlight
OGEC Trainer Lex Tingey has been recognized as an Ambassador for Public Service. Lex's commitment to accessibility and her willingness to embrace changes and lead by example have helped our team immeasurably. Over the course of the last year at OGEC, Lex made it possible for our agency to fulfill part of the Governor's goal of innovation, by guiding the team to accurately adopt the technologies necessary to make documents on our website accessible for users with screen readers. Congratulations, Lex, and thank you for the insights that you bring to OGEC!
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Become an OGEC Commissioner
Are you interested in government transparency? There are periodically Commission positions open and applications are kept on file for two years. Meetings occur monthly. Information on previous and upcoming Commission meetings can be found on our Meetings webpage.
No more than three of the members of the Commission may be from the same political party. Please make sure to state your political affiliation in your application.
For more information and to submit your application, click the "Apply Here" button to see the position description on Workday.
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Updated Commission Meeting Schedule
July 11, 2025
August 8, 2025
September 12, 2025
October 10, 2025
On April 25, 2025, the Commission voted to adopt a monthly meeting schedule.
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