74th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2007 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
LC 2582
 
                         House Bill 2702
 
Sponsored by Representative RILEY; Representatives BARNHART,
  BONAMICI, BOQUIST, BUCKLEY, CANNON, DALLUM, C EDWARDS, D
  EDWARDS, GALIZIO, GELSER, GIROD, GREENLICK, NATHANSON, READ,
  ROSENBAUM, SHIELDS, TOMEI, WITT, Senators GORDLY, WALKER
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Requires agencies of state government to ensure that written
documents conform to plain language standards.
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to written documents produced by agencies of state
  government.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1.  { + (1) As used in this section and section 2 of
this 2007 Act, 'state government' has the meaning given that term
in ORS 174.111.
  (2) Every agency of state government shall ensure that written
documents produced by the agency for purposes of communicating
with the public, whether presented on paper or through electronic
media, conform to plain language standards.
  (3) A written document conforms to plain language standards if
the document, whenever possible:
  (a) Uses everyday words that convey meanings clearly and
directly;
  (b) Uses the present tense and the active voice;
  (c) Uses short, simple sentences;
  (d) Defines only those words that cannot be properly explained
or qualified in the text;
  (e) Uses type of a readable size; and
  (f) Uses layout and spacing that separate the paragraphs and
sections of the document from each other. + }
  SECTION 2.  { + (1) Each agency of state government shall:
  (a) Assign one individual to lead the agency's plain language
standards initiative;
  (b) Ensure that the individual assigned under this subsection
receives adequate training in plain language standards;
  (c) Prioritize the nonconforming documents to be rewritten
based on frequency of use, receipt of complaints or questions,
complexity and lack of clarity;
  (d) Establish a schedule for rewriting nonconforming documents
and track the agency's progress; and
  (e) Incorporate the principles of plain language standards into
employee training.
 
  (2) Nothing in this section or in section 1 of this 2007 Act
supersedes a specific statute that requires plain language
standards for a particular agency or a particular document that
are different from those established by section 1 of this 2007
Act. + }
  SECTION 3.  { + Section 1 of this 2007 Act applies to documents
written or rewritten on or after the effective date of this 2007
Act. + }
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