Constitution of the State of Oregon: February 14, 1859 (as Amended to November 5, 2024) (Oregon)
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- Preamble
- Main Text
- Art.I Bill of Rights
- s.1 Natural rights inherent in people.
- s.2 Freedom of worship.
- s.3 Freedom of religious opinion.
- s.4 No religious qualification for office.
- s.5 No money to be appropriated for religion.
- s.6 No religious test for witnesses or jurors.
- s.7 Manner of administering oath or affirmation.
- s.8 Freedom of speech and press.
- s.9 Unreasonable searches or seizures.
- s.10 Administration of justice.
- s.11 Rights of Accused in Criminal Prosecution.
- s.12 Double jeopardy; compulsory self-incrimination.
- s.13 Treatment of arrested or confined persons.
- s.14 Bailable offenses.
- s.15 Foundation principles of criminal law.
- s.16 Excessive bail and fines; cruel and unusual punishments; power of jury in criminal case.
- s.17 Jury trial in civil cases.
- s.18 Private property or services taken for public use.
- s.19 Imprisonment for debt.
- s.20 Equality of privileges and immunities of citizens.
- s.21 Ex-post facto laws; laws impairing contracts; laws depending on authorization in order to take effect; laws submitted to electors.
- s.22 Suspension of operation of laws.
- s.23 Habeas corpus.
- s.24 Treason.
- s.25 Corruption of blood or forfeiture of estate.
- s.26 Assemblages of people; instruction of representatives; application to legislature.
- s.27 Right to bear arms; military subordinate to civil power.
- s.28 Quartering soldiers.
- s.29 Titles of nobility; hereditary distinctions.
- s.30 Emigration.
- s.31 Rights of aliens; immigration to state.
- s.32 Taxes and duties; uniformity of taxation.
- s.33 Enumeration of rights not exclusive.
- s.34 Slavery or involuntary servitude.
- s.35 Restrictions on rights of certain persons.
- s.36 Liquor prohibition.
- s.36 Capital punishment abolished.
- s.36a Prohibition of importation of liquors.
- s.37 Penalty for murder in first degree.
- s.38 Laws abrogated by amendment abolishing death penalty revived.
- s.39 Sale of liquor by individual glass.
- s.40 Penalty for aggravated murder.
- s.41 Work and training for corrections institution inmates; work programs; limitations; duties of corrections director.
- s.42 Rights of victim in criminal prosecutions and juvenile court delinquency proceedings.
- s.43 Rights of victim and public to protection from accused person during criminal proceedings; denial of pretrial release.
- s.44 Term of imprisonment imposed by court to be fully served; exceptions.
- s.45 Person convicted of certain crimes not eligible to serve as juror on grand jury or trial jury in criminal case.
- s.46 Prohibition on denial or abridgment of rights on account of sex.
- s.47
- Art.II Suffrage and Elections
- s.1 Elections free.
- s.2 Qualifications of electors.
- s.3 Rights of certain electors.
- s.4 Residence.
- s.5 Soldiers, seamen and marines; residence; right to vote.
- s.6 Right of suffrage for certain persons.
- s.7 Bribery at elections.
- s.8 Regulation of elections.
- s.9 Penalty for dueling.
- s.10 Lucrative offices; holding other offices forbidden.
- s.11 When collector or holder of public moneys ineligible to office.
- s.12 Temporary appointments to office.
- s.13 Privileges of electors.
- s.14 Time of holding elections and assuming duties of office.
- s.14a Time of holding elections in incorporated cities and towns.
- s.15 Method of voting in legislature.
- s.16 Election by plurality; proportional representation.
- s.17 Place of voting.
- s.18 Recall; meaning of words “the legislative assembly shall provide.”
- s.22 Political campaign contribution limitations.
- s.23 Approval by more than majority required for certain measures submitted to people.
- s.24 Death of candidate prior to election.
- Art.III Distribution of Powers
- Art.IV Legislative Branch
- s.1 Legislative power; initiative and referendum.
- s.1 Legislative authority vested in assembly; initiative and referendum style of bills.
- s.1a Initiative and referendum on parts of laws and on local, special and municipal laws.
- s.1b Payment for signatures.
- s.1d Effective date of amendment to section 1, Article IV, by S.J.R. 3, 1999.
- s.2 Number of Senators and Representatives.
- s.3 How Senators and Representatives chosen; filling vacancies; qualifications.
- s.3a Applicability of qualifications for appointment to legislative vacancy.
- s.4 Term of office of legislators; classification of Senators.
- s.5 Census.
- s.6 Apportionment of Senators and Representatives.
- s.6 Apportionment of Senators and Representatives; operative date.
- s.7 Senatorial districts; senatorial and representative subdistricts.
- s.8 Qualification of Senators and Representatives; effect of felony conviction.
- s.8a Applicability of qualification for legislative office.
- s.9 Legislators free from arrest and not subject to civil process in certain cases; words uttered in debate.
- s.10 Annual regular sessions of the Legislative Assembly; organizational session; extension of regular sessions.
- s.10a Emergency sessions of the Legislative Assembly.
- s.11 Legislative officers; rules of proceedings; adjournments.
- s.12 Quorum; failure to effect organization.
- s.13 Journal; when yeas and nays to be entered.
- s.14 Deliberations to be open; rules to implement requirement.
- s.15 Punishment and expulsion of members.
- s.16 Punishment of nonmembers.
- s.17 General powers of Legislative Assembly.
- s.18 Where bills to originate.
- s.19 Reading of bills; vote on final passage.
- s.20 Subject and title of Act.
- s.21 Acts to be plainly worded.
- s.22 Mode of revision and amendment.
- s.23 Certain local and special laws prohibited.
- s.24 Suit against state.
- s.25 Majority necessary to pass bills and resolutions; special requirements for bills raising revenue; signatures of presiding officers required.
- s.26 Protest by member.
- s.27 All statutes public laws; exceptions.
- s.28 When Act takes effect.
- s.29 Compensation of members.
- s.30 Members not eligible to other offices.
- s.31 Oath of members.
- s.32 Income tax defined by federal law; review of tax laws required.
- s.33 Reduction of criminal sentences approved by initiative or referendum process.
- s.34
- Art.V Executive Branch
- s.1 Governor as chief executive; term of office; period of eligibility.
- s.2 Qualifications of Governor.
- s.3 Who not eligible.
- s.4 Election of Governor.
- s.5 Greatest number of votes decisive; election by legislature in case of tie.
- s.6 Contested elections.
- s.7 Term of office.
- s.8 Vacancy in office of Governor.
- s.8a Vacancy in office of Governor.
- s.9 Governor as commander in chief of state military forces.
- s.10 Governor to see laws executed.
- s.11 Recommendations to legislature.
- s.12 Governor may convene legislature.
- s.13 Transaction of governmental business.
- s.14 Reprieves, commutations and pardons; remission of fines and forfeitures.
- s.15
- s.15a Single item and emergency clause veto.
- s.15b Legislative enactments; approval by Governor; notice of intention to disapprove; disapproval and reconsideration by legislature; failure of Governor to return bill.
- s.16 Governor to Fill Vacancies by Appointment.
- s.17 Governor to issue writs of election to fill vacancies in legislature.
- s.18 Commissions.
- Art.VI Administrative Department
- s.1 Election of Secretary and Treasurer of state; terms of office; period of eligibility.
- s.2 Duties of Secretary of State.
- s.3 Seal of state.
- s.4 Powers and duties of Treasurer.
- s.5 Offices and records of executive officers.
- s.6 County Officers.
- s.7 Other officers.
- s.8 County officers’ qualifications; location of offices of county and city officers; duties of such officers.
- s.9 Vacancies in county, township, precinct and city offices.
- s.9a County manager form of government.
- s.10 County home rule under county charter.
- Art.VII (Amended)Judicial Branch
- s.1 Courts; election of judges; term of office; compensation.
- s.1a Retirement of judges; recall to temporary active service.
- s.2 Amendment’s effect on courts, jurisdiction and judicial system; Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction.
- s.2a Temporary appointment and assignment of judges.
- s.2b Inferior courts may be affected in certain respects by special or local laws.
- s.3 Jury trial; re-examination of issues by appellate court; record on appeal to Supreme Court; affirmance notwithstanding error; determination of case by Supreme Court.
- s.4 Supreme Court; terms; statements of decisions of court.
- s.5 Juries; indictment; information.
- s.5 Juries; indictment; information; verdict in civil cases.
- s.6 Incompetency or malfeasance of public officer.
- s.7 Oath of office of Judges of Supreme Court.
- s.8 Removal, suspension or censure of judges.
- s.9 Juries of less than 12 jurors.
- Art.VII The Judicial Branch
- s.1 Courts in which judicial power vested.
- s.2 Supreme Court.
- s.3 Terms of office of Judges.
- s.4 Vacancy.
- s.5 Chief Justice.
- s.6 Jurisdiction.
- s.7 Term of Supreme Court; statements of decisions of court.
- s.8 Circuit court.
- s.9 Jurisdiction of circuit courts.
- s.10 Supreme and circuit judges; election in classes.
- s.11 County judges and terms of county courts.
- s.12 Jurisdiction of county courts; county commissioners.
- s.13 Writs granted by county judge; habeas corpus proceedings.
- s.14 Expenses of court in certain counties.
- s.15 County clerk; recorder.
- s.16 Sheriff.
- s.17 Prosecuting attorneys.
- s.18 Verdict by Three-fourths Jury in Civil Cases; Jurors; Grand Jurors; Indictment May Be Amended, When.
- s.19 Official delinquencies.
- s.20 Removal of Judges of Supreme Court and prosecuting attorneys from office.
- s.21 Oath of office of Supreme Court Judges.
- Art.VIII Education and School Lands
- s.1 Superintendent of Public Instruction.
- s.2 Common School Fund.
- s.3 System of common schools.
- s.4 Distribution of school fund income.
- s.5 State Land Board; land management.
- s.6 Qualifications of electors at school elections.
- s.7 Prohibition of sale of state timber unless timber processed in Oregon.
- s.8 Adequate and Equitable Funding.
- Art.IX Finance
- s.1 Assessment and taxation; uniform rules; uniformity of operation of laws.
- s.1a Poll or head tax; declaration of emergency in tax laws.
- s.1b Ships exempt from taxation until 1935.
- s.1c Financing redevelopment and urban renewal projects.
- s.2 Legislature to provide revenue to pay current state expenses and interest.
- s.3 Laws imposing taxes; gasoline and motor vehicle taxes.
- s.3 Tax imposed only by law; statement of purpose.
- s.3a Use of revenue from taxes on motor vehicle use and fuel; legislative review of allocation of taxes between vehicle classes.
- s.3b Rate of levy on oil or natural gas; exception.
- s.4 Appropriation necessary for withdrawal from treasury.
- s.5 Publication of accounts.
- s.6 Deficiency of funds; tax levy to pay.
- s.7 Appropriation laws not to contain provisions on other subjects.
- s.8 Stationery for use of state.
- s.9 Taxation of certain benefits prohibited.
- s.10 Retirement plan contributions by governmental employees.
- s.11 Retirement plan rate of return contract guarantee prohibited.
- s.12 Retirement not to be increased by unused sick leave.
- s.13 Retirement plan restriction severability.
- s.14 Revenue estimate; retention of excess corporate tax revenue in General Fund for public education funding; return of other excess revenue to taxpayers; legislative increase in estimate.
- s.15 Prohibition on tax, fee or other assessment upon transfer of interest in real property; exception.
- Art.X The Militia
- Art.X-A Catastrophic Disasters
- s.1 Definitions; declaration of catastrophic disaster; convening of Legislative Assembly.
- s.2 Additional powers of Governor; use of General Fund moneys and lottery funds.
- s.3 Procedural requirements for Legislative Assembly.
- s.4 Additional powers of Legislative Assembly.
- s.5 Participation in session of Legislative Assembly by electronic or other means.
- s.6 Termination of operation of this Article; extension by Legislative Assembly; transition provisions; limitation on power of Governor to invoke this Article.
- Art.XI Corporations and Internal Improvements
- s.1 Prohibition of state banks.
- s.2 Formation of corporations; municipal charters; intoxicating liquor regulation.
- s.2a Merger of adjoining municipalities; county-city consolidation.
- s.3 Liability of stockholders.
- s.4 Compensation for property taken by corporation.
- s.5 Restriction of municipal powers in Acts of incorporation.
- s.6 State not to be stockholder in company; exceptions; inapplicability to public universities.
- s.7 Credit of State Not to Be Loaned; Limitation Upon Power of Contracting Debts.
- s.8 State not to assume debts of counties, towns or other corporations.
- s.9 Limitations on powers of county or city to assist corporations.
- s.10 County debt limitation.
- s.11 Tax and indebtedness limitation.
- s.11 Tax base limitation.
- s.11 Property tax limitations on assessed value and rate of tax; exceptions.
- s.11a School district tax levy.
- s.11b Property tax categories; limitation on categories; exceptions.
- s.11c Limits in addition to other tax limits.
- s.11d Effect of section 11b on exemptions and assessments.
- s.11e Severability of sections 11b, 11c and 11d.
- s.11f School district tax levy following merger.
- s.11g Tax increase limitation; exceptions.
- s.11h Voluntary contributions for support of schools or other public entities.
- s.11i Legislation to implement limitation and contribution provisions.
- s.11j Severability of sections 11g, 11h and 11i.
- s.11k Limitation on applicability of section 11 (8) voting requirements to elections on measures held in May or November of any year.
- s.11L Limitation on applicability of sections 11 and 11b on bonded indebtedness to finance capital costs.
- s.12 People’s utility districts.
- s.13 Interests of employes when operation of transportation system assumed by public body.
- s.14 Metropolitan service district charter.
- s.15 Funding of programs imposed upon local governments; exceptions.
- s.15a Subsequent vote for reaffirmation of section 15.
- Art.XI-A Rural Credits
- Art.XI-A Farm and Home Loans to Veterans
- Art.XI-B State Payment of Irrigation and Drainage District Interest
- Art.XI-C World War Veterans’ State Aid Sinking Fund
- Art.XI-D State Power Development
- Art.XI-E State Reforestation
- Art.XI-F(1) Higher Education Building Projects
- Art.XI-F(2) Veterans’ Bonus
- s.1 State empowered to lend credit to pay veterans’ bonus; issuance of bonds.
- s.2 Definitions.
- s.3 Amount of bonus.
- s.4 Survivors of certain deceased veterans entitled to maximum amount.
- s.5 Certain persons not eligible.
- s.6 Order of distribution among survivors.
- s.7 Bonus not saleable or assignable; bonus free from creditors’ claims and state taxes.
- s.8 Administration of article; rules and regulations.
- s.9 Applications.
- s.10 Furnishing forms; printing, office supplies and equipment; employes; payment of expenses.
- Art.XI-G Higher Education Institutions and Activities; Community Colleges
- Art.XI-H Pollution Control
- Art.XI-I(1) Water Development Projects
- Art.XI-I(2) Multifamily Housing for Elderly and Disabled
- Art.XI-J Small Scale Local Energy Loans
- Art.XI-K Guarantee of Bonded Indebtedness of Education Districts
- Art.XI-L Oregon Health and Science University
- Art.XI-M Seismic Rehabilitation of Public Education Buildings
- Art.XI-N Seismic Rehabilitation of Emergency Services Buildings
- Art.XI-O Pension Liabilities
- Art.XI-P School District Capital Costs
- s.1 State empowered to lend credit for grants or loans to school districts to finance capital costs; general obligation bond proceeds as matching funds.
- s.2 Sources of repayment.
- s.3 Refunding bonds.
- s.4 School capital matching fund.
- s.5 “Capital costs” defined.
- s.6 Legislation to effectuate Article.
- s.7 Relationship to conflicting provision of Constitution.
- Art.XI-Q Real or Personal Property Owned or Operated by State
- Art.XII State Printing
- Art.XIII Salaries
- Art.XIV Seat of Government
- Art.XV Miscellaneous
- s.1 Officers to hold office until successors elected; exceptions; effect on defeated incumbent.
- s.2 Tenure of office; how fixed; maximum tenure.
- s.3 Oaths of office.
- s.4 Regulation of lotteries; state lottery; use of net proceeds from state lottery.
- s.4a Use of net proceeds from state lottery for parks and recreation areas.
- s.4b Use of net proceeds from state lottery for fish and wildlife, watershed and habitat protection.
- s.4c Audit of agency receiving certain net proceeds from state lottery.
- s.4d Subsequent vote for reaffirmation of sections 4a, 4b and 4c and amendment to section 4.
- s.4e Transfer of moneys in school capital matching subaccount to school capital matching fund created under section 4, Article XI-P.
- s.4f Percentage of lottery revenues to be expended for benefit of veterans.
- s.5 Property of married women not subject to debts of husband; registration of separate property.
- s.5a Policy regarding marriage.
- s.6 Minimum area and population of counties.
- s.7 Officers not to receive fees from or represent claimants against state.
- s.8 Certain persons not to hold real estate or mining claims; working mining claims.
- s.8 Persons eligible to serve in legislature; employment of judges by Oregon National Guard or public university.
- s.8a
- s.9 When elective office becomes vacant.
- s.10 The Oregon Property Protection Act of 2000.
- s.11 Home Care Commission.
- Art.XVI Boundaries
- Art.XVII Amendments and Revisions
- Art.XVIII Schedule
- s.1 Election to accept or reject Constitution.
- s.2 Questions submitted to voters.
- s.3 Majority of votes required to accept or reject Constitution.
- s.4 Vote on certain sections of Constitution.
- s.5 Apportionment of Senators and Representatives.
- s.6 Election under Constitution; organization of state.
- s.7 Former laws continued in force.
- s.8 Officers to continue in office.
- s.9 Crimes against territory.
- s.10 Saving existing rights and liabilities.
- s.11 Judicial districts.
- Art.I Bill of Rights
- [18.97.14.82]
- 18.97.14.82
