Directs the Secretary of State to presession file a proposed legislative measure for consideration during the 2027 regular session of the Legislative Assembly that sets forth the recommendations of the secretary for changes to campaign finance limitations presently being implemented in this state.
Summary
SB 1502 directs the Oregon Secretary of State to presession file a proposed legislative measure for the 2027 regular session. That future measure must contain the Secretary of State’s recommendations for changes to Oregon’s campaign finance limitation system and the related reporting requirements. The bill is essentially a directive to prepare a follow-up proposal, rather than a substantive rewrite of campaign finance law itself.
The bill also requires that the Secretary’s recommendations reflect the state’s experience implementing the campaign finance reforms enacted in 2024. If House Bill 4018 becomes law, SB 1502 is amended to require the 2027 proposal to also account for the 2026 changes made by that bill. The act takes effect 91 days after adjournment of the 2026 regular session.
Impact
SB 1502 does not directly change campaign finance limits, disclosure rules, or enforcement provisions in current law. Instead, it amends the Secretary of State’s duties under Oregon’s presession filing authority to ensure a future legislative measure is introduced for review in 2027. Its practical effect is to place the Secretary of State in the role of evaluating and recommending refinements to the campaign finance framework created by chapter 9, Oregon Laws 2024, and potentially chapter , Oregon Laws 2026, if HB 4018 is enacted.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support and moved through both chambers with strong majorities. It passed the Senate committee 4-1, the Senate floor 27-3, the House committee 7-0, and the House floor 48-1. The vote pattern suggests general agreement that the Secretary of State should review and propose improvements to the new campaign finance system after some implementation experience.
Contention
There is little evidence of major controversy in the available record, but the narrow dissent in the Senate committee and on the Senate floor indicates some concern about either the need for the bill or the broader campaign finance policy direction. The bill’s main policy issue is not the directive itself, but the underlying campaign finance limitation system and reporting requirements that the Secretary of State is being asked to revisit. The conditional reference to House Bill 4018 also suggests lawmakers wanted the future recommendations to track any additional 2026 changes to the campaign finance regime.
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Requiring that a committee of the Legislative Assembly may adopt an amendment to a legislative measure only if the chief sponsor of the measure approves the amendment prior to its adoption by the committee.
Reforms the organizational structure for the Department of Transportation and Development including its duties, powers, and responsibilities of officers and employees (EN INCREASE SD EX See Note)
A bill for an act providing for certain business entities acting under the jurisdiction of the secretary of state by providing for the removal of information from a filing based on a sworn affidavit and administrative dissolution based on the response to interrogatories.(See HF 2678.)