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Ethics Matters Newsletter June 2026 |
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A Note from the Executive Director
To begin with, I encourage everyone to spend some time with the updated Government Ethics Law Guide (the Guide). It offers thorough explanations of the Ethics Law, with examples, flowcharts, and FAQs. In the Guide, we sought to use more plain language and to make it more accessible than ever before.
Looking at the Guide, I not only see the hard work of our staff, but I see OGEC history. Back in 1978, shortly after the Ethics Commission was first established, the Ethics Guide for Public Officials was published. In a very brief 8 pages, it explained conflicts of interest, statements of economic interest, and prohibited use of office, and introduced readers to Commission investigations and advisory opinions.
While each new version of the Guide may have expanded, in scope and length, its purpose has remained the same -- to provide a helpful resource for public officials so they can better understand the Ethics Law and how those laws may apply to the various situations the officials may face.
~ Susan Myers, Executive Director
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Government Ethics Law Guide 2026
The 2026 updated Government Ethics Law Guide (the Guide) looks and reads differently than the previous versions. We hope that you find these changes helpful in your understanding of the Oregon Government Ethics Law in Chapter 244 (Ethics Law). This version of the Guide:
- Provides more plain language explanations of the law.
- Uses more examples of how the law applies to real life scenarios.
- Meets accessibility standards set for in WCAG A & AA 2.1.
Ethics Law has seen legislative and rule changes since the last version of the Guide. OGEC's jurisdiction was expanded, there were legislative changes to our case process, and many of our Ethics Law resources and handouts were updated. Some of the changes to specific areas of the law include:
Conflicts of Interest
Prohibited Use of Office
- Post-secondary teaching exception (HB 2932, 2025)
- Food & beverages from public bodies exception (HB 4161, 2026)
- Merchandise from public bodies (HB 4161, 2026)
- And additional OGEC guidance on private employment
- Updated Am I Associated with a Business? Quick Reference (also applies to Conflicts of Interest)
Gifts
- Security and alarm systems exception (HB 4017, 2026)
- Additional guidance on anonymous gifts
- Updated Is it a Gift? Flowchart
We encourage you to review the Government Ethics Law Guide to get further guidance on these updates and others. The guide holds the authority of the Commission's interpretation, the same way a Commission Advisory Opinion would. This authority makes this guide a powerful resource.
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Common Questions at OGEC: Public Officials
As you are browsing the updated Government Ethics Law Guide, you might find yourself wondering: what do public officials actually do? and am I one? At OGEC, we get those questions a lot. So, to review:
How do I know if I'm a public official?
You are a public official if you are serving the state of Oregon. That includes any city, county, special district, or any other public body in Oregon. You don't have to hold a paid position to be a public official. There are about 260,000 public officials in Oregon. Most of them are not paid for their service.
The definition of "public official" in Oregon Government Ethics Law includes:
- Public employees
- Elected officials
- The Governor of Oregon and the First Partner
- Members of boards, councils, and commissions
- Certain volunteers
What laws do I need to make sure to follow as a public official?
OGEC enforces laws about government transparency in Oregon. These laws include Oregon Government Ethics Law (Ethics Law) and Public Meetings Law, as well as certain provisions in Lobby Law.
All public officials are responsible for following Ethics Law. Oregon voters and the state legislature enacted Ethics Law as a safeguard for the public trust. Ethics Law restricts some actions that you can take as a public official. These restrictions are required for government transparency.
As a public official, Ethics Law applies to you as an individual. This means you are individually responsible for:
- Getting familiar with the requirements of Ethics Law
- Complying with restrictions in Ethics Law
Also, public officials who are members of governing bodies are responsible for following Public Meetings Law. Governing bodies make decisions for, or recommendations to, the public body on policy or administration.
Public Meetings Law applies to governing body members as individual public officials. Public Meetings Law reminds public officials that the Oregon form of government requires:
- Keeping the public informed
- Making sure the public are aware of the results of decisions
- Being transparent about how those decisions were made
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Resources
To prepare for a training, you can browse the Training Resources page on OGEC's website.
Our team has developed resources to help you navigate situations where the laws in OGEC jurisdiction may apply. We have information on Conflicts of Interest (COI), Gifts, Public Meetings Law (PML), Executive Sessions, and more!
Some popular resources include:
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How to Request a Training
As part of our agency’s mission to provide education to public officials, we are proud to offer virtual and in-person training for your public body. Whether you’re looking to learn more about Ethics Law, Public Meetings Law, or Lobby Law, our training team has an offering for you!
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Review the training descriptions and lengths by topic category
After you follow the above steps, someone from our training team will contact you to confirm and finalize your request. For more information related to training, please call 503-378-5105 or send an e-mail to our training inbox.
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Take OGEC's Customer Satisfaction Survey!
If you have interacted with OGEC this year and have not provided your feedback yet, June is a great time to let us know how we are doing! The survey takes about 5 minutes. You do not need to make an account in order to leave feedback, and you can remain anonymous.
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Accessibility Update
As part of OGEC's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), OGEC is currently updating web content in order to match WCAG 2.1 criteria. Learn more about the changes by clicking below.
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Strategic Plan Update
In 2026, OGEC is making progress toward three specific strategic goals that correspond to the three areas of focus in OGEC's 2025-2027 Strategic Plan. Read about our progress by clicking below.
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OGEC Staff Updates: Farewell to David Hunter
This month, we're saying a fond farewell to David Hunter, OGEC's Administrative Specialist, who is retiring. David has supported OGEC operations with his signature expertise and team spirit for nearly a decade, and he has worked for the State of Oregon for 23 years. As David's colleagues, we'll miss him so much. David's longtime colleagues who have already retired, Ron Bersin and Kathy Baier, have also shared about the strengths and kindnesses that David brought to their team.
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David's History with OGEC
If you have ever called in to OGEC to ask for help on your Statement of Economic Interest (SEI) report or a lobbying filing requirement, there is a good chance you were helped by David. Even though he is retiring at the end of June, David has been busy wrapping up the 2026 SEI filings and the first quarter lobbying filings. Before saying our goodbyes, we asked David to reflect on his time at OGEC.
David helped lobbyists and public officials talk through problems on their way to better compliance with OGEC's laws and rules. Some of them had questions about using the filing system, some had questions about planning ahead for the next report, and some had questions about the laws and rules OGEC enforces. David listened patiently to every caller and took special care to help them find what they were looking for.
David took pride in providing quality customer service, and he worked hard to make sure people got the support they needed to comply with the law. Read more about David's tenure at OGEC at the button below.
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Kudos from Ron
OGEC's prior Executive Director, Ron Bersin, reminisced about working with David:
When he was overworked, which was often, he simply met each challenge with his everyday cheer. I can honestly say, I looked forward to seeing David each day when I came to work.
I want to sincerely thank David for making each day I worked with him a little better.
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OGEC is in recruitment for an Administrative Specialist 1. This role supports OGEC by:
- Assisting public officials, lobbyists, and lobbyist client/employers with required filings
- Answering and directing calls and emails from public officials and the public to OGEC staff about OGEC's jurisdiction
- Providing administrative support for the Investigation, Training, and Administrative teams
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Welcome Commissioner Givens
On June 15, 2026, the Senate voted to confirm Larry Givens to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission. Commissioner Givens was selected by Governor Kotek to serve OGEC for the next four years. We are excited to have Commissioner Givens join us. Look for his bio in the next newsletter.
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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 every four weeks. 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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Upcoming Commission Meetings
July 10, 2026
August 14, 2026
September 11, 2026
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