Government of Oregon
Encyclopedia
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, as prescribed by the Oregon Constitution
Oregon Constitution
The Oregon Constitution is the governing document of the U.S. state of Oregon, originally enacted in 1857. As amended the current state constitution contains eighteen sections, beginning with a bill of rights. This contains most of the rights and privileges granted in the United States Bill of...
, is composed of three government branches: the executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
, the legislative
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
, and the judicial
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
. These branches operate in a manner similar to that of the federal government of the United States
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
.
Oregon also has a system of commissions, wherein private citizens are appointed by the governor
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
and confirmed by the Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
; these commissions have the authority to hire and fire the heads of the agencies they govern, and must confirm changes to the permanent rules governing those agencies.
Constitution
In 1857, leaders of the Oregon TerritoryOregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
gathered at the Oregon Constitutional Convention
Oregon Constitutional Convention
The Oregon Constitutional Convention in 1857 drafted the Oregon Constitution in preparation for the Oregon Territory to become a U.S. state. Held from mid-August through September, 60 men met in Salem, Oregon, and created the foundation for Oregon's law. The proposal passed with a vote of 35 for...
and drafted a constitution for Oregon. On November 9, 1857, Oregon voters approved its first constitution that then became effective upon statehood on February 14, 1859. The constitution was unchanged for the remainder of the 19th century, but has been amended numerous times since 1902. The changes include the introduction of a direct legislation system, which enabled numerous popular decisions via initiative
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
, both to the constitution and to the Oregon Revised Statutes
Oregon Revised Statutes
The Oregon Revised Statutes is the codified body of statutory law governing the U.S. state of Oregon, as enacted by the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and occasionally by citizen initiative...
.
The current document contains eighteen sections, beginning with a bill of rights. Oregon’s bill of rights contains most of the rights and privileges granted in the United States Bill of Rights
United States Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. These limitations serve to protect the natural rights of liberty and property. They guarantee a number of personal freedoms, limit the government's power in judicial and other proceedings, and...
and the main text of the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. The remainder of the Oregon Constitution outlines the divisions of power within the state government, times of elections, designating the state capitol
Oregon State Capitol
The Oregon State Capitol is the building housing the state legislature and the offices of the governor, secretary of state, and treasurer of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in the state capital, Salem. The current building, constructed from 1936 to 1938, and expanded in 1977, is the third...
, the state boundaries. The original implementation provisions included a vote excluding African-Americans from the state.
Executive branch
- Governor of OregonGovernor of OregonThe Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
- Oregon Secretary of StateOregon Secretary of StateThe Secretary of State of Oregon, an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is first in line of succession to the Governor. The duties of office are: auditor of public accounts, chief elections officer, and administrator of public...
- Archives DivisionOregon State ArchivesThe Archives Division of the Office of the Secretary of State of Oregon, or Oregon State Archives, is an agency of the Office of the Oregon Secretary of State charged with preserving and providing access to government records. It also publishes the Oregon Blue Book and Oregon Administrative Rules...
- Oregon Sustainability BoardOregon Sustainability BoardThe Oregon Sustainability Board is an advisory panel which examines current practices of individuals, business and government within the U.S. state of Oregon issuing reports, recommendations and proposals, and develops resources to promote policies and legislation to foster practices which meet...
(The Secretary of State is the board chair)
- Archives Division
- Oregon State TreasurerOregon State TreasurerThe Oregon State Treasurer is a constitutional officer within the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon, elected by statewide vote to serve a four year term. As chief financial officer for the state, the office holder heads the Oregon State Treasury, and with the Governor...
- Oregon Commissioner of Labor and Industries
- Oregon Superintendent of Public InstructionOregon Superintendent of Public InstructionThe Superintendent of Public Instruction, sometimes referred to as the State Superintendent of Schools, is a constitutional office within the executive branch of the Oregon state government, and acts as administrative officer of the State Board of Education and executive head of the Department of...
- Oregon Department of State LandsOregon Department of State LandsThe Department of State Lands , one of the oldest agencies of government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is principally responsible for the management of lands under state ownership, as its name implies. Unlike most other department-level state agencies, it is not headed by a sole elected official,...
(governed by the State Land Board, which is composed of the Governor, Secretary of State, and Treasurer) - Oregon Attorney GeneralOregon Attorney GeneralThe Oregon Attorney General is a statutory office within the executive branch of the state of Oregon, and serves as the chief legal officer of the state, heading its Department of Justice with its six operating divisions. The Attorney General is chosen by statewide partisan election to serve a term...
- Oregon Department of JusticeOregon Department of JusticeThe Oregon Department of Justice , headed by Attorney General John Kroger, is the main legal branch of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The DOJ is part of Oregon's executive branch, and most of its employees work in Oregon's capital, Salem...
- Oregon Department of Justice
Legislative branch
- Oregon Legislative AssemblyOregon Legislative AssemblyThe Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
- Oregon House of RepresentativesOregon House of RepresentativesThe Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
- Oregon State SenateOregon State SenateThe Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
- Oregon House of Representatives
Judicial branch
Oregon's state level judicial branch of government consists of the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) which operates four state run court systems. Two of these courts are primarily trial level courts, while the other two are primarily courts of appeal
Court of Appeals
A court of appeals is an appellate court generally.Court of Appeals may refer to:*Military Court of Appeals *Corte d'Assise d'Appello *Philippine Court of Appeals*High Court of Appeals of Turkey*United States courts of appeals...
. The chief executive of the OJD is the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
Oregon Supreme Court
The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The OSC holds court at the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, Oregon, near the capitol...
. At the local level are some justice courts
Justice courts (Oregon)
Justice courts are courts of law in Oregon with jurisdiction within their county with the circuit court in criminal prosecutions except felony trials. They are held by a justice of the peace. These courts are outside the state-funded court system...
, municipal courts, and county courts.
The Oregon Supreme Court is located in the Oregon Supreme Court Building
Oregon Supreme Court Building
The Oregon Supreme Court Building is the home to the Oregon Supreme Court, Oregon Court of Appeals, and the Oregon Judicial Department. Located in the state’s capitol of Salem, it is Oregon’s oldest state government building...
in Salem. It consist of seven judges that are elected to six year terms in state-wide popular elections, with vacancies filled by appointment by the Governor of Oregon. As the highest court in the state, it is the final authority on state law and its decisions can only be overturned by the United States Supreme Court. The court is headed by the Chief Justice, who is elected to a six-year term by fellow justices.
Oregon's Court of Appeals
Oregon Court of Appeals
The Oregon Court of Appeals is the state intermediate appellate court in the U.S. state of Oregon. Part of the Oregon Judicial Department, it has ten judges and is located in Salem...
is an intermediate court of appeals hearing appeals from decisions of both civil and criminal cases decided at the trial court level. This court has ten judges that in most cases sit in three judge panels to determine the outcome of appeals. The judges are also elected state-wide to six-year terms, with vacancies filed by appointment of the governor. The Oregon Supreme Court’s Chief Justice appoints one of the ten judges to serve as Chief Judge, who acts as the head of the Court of Appeals. Appeals from decisions of this court go to the Oregon Supreme Court.
The OJD operates the Oregon Circuit Courts
Oregon circuit courts
Oregon's circuit courts are general jurisdiction trial courts of the U.S. state of Oregon. These courts hear civil and criminal court cases.The state has 27 circuit court districts, most of which correspond to the boundaries of the Oregon's 36 counties...
, which are 27 trial level court districts across the state that receive both civil and criminal court cases. As of January 2007, the courts had 173 judges spread over the 27 districts that cover the state’s 36 circuit courts. The majority of appeals from the Circuit Courts go to the Oregon Court of Appeals. Some limited cases go directly to the Oregon Supreme Court if appealed from at the trial court level.
Cases involving issues of taxation are handled primarily through the Oregon Tax Court
Oregon Tax Court
The Oregon Tax Court is a state court in the U.S. state of Oregon, which has jurisdiction in questions of law that regard state tax laws. Examples of matters that would come before this court include income taxes, corporate excise taxes, property taxes, timber taxes, cigarette taxes, local budget...
. This court has two divisions, with the Magistrate Division being an informal process appearing more like alternative dispute resolution
Alternative dispute resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that act as a means for disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short of litigation. ADR basically is an alternative to a formal court hearing or litigation...
. The Regular Division is a formal court headed by a single Tax Court judge elected to six-year terms on a state-wide basis. Appeals from the Magistrate Division go to the Regular Division, and appeals from decisions of this court go directly to the Oregon Supreme Court.
State agencies
- Oregon State Office of Degree AuthorizationOregon State Office of Degree AuthorizationThe Oregon State Office of Degree Authorization is a unit of the Oregon Student Assistance Commission with responsibilities related to maintaining high standards in private higher education institutions in Oregon...
- Oregon Department of Fish and WildlifeOregon Department of Fish and WildlifeThe Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is an agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for programs protecting Oregon fish and wildlife resources and their habitats....
- Oregon State LibraryOregon State LibraryThe Oregon State Library in Salem, is the library for the U.S. state of Oregon. The mission of the Oregon State Library is to provide quality information services to Oregon state government, provide reading materials to blind and print-disabled Oregonians, and provide leadership, grants, and other...
- Oregon Liquor Control CommissionOregon Liquor Control CommissionThe Oregon Liquor Control Commission is a government agency of the U.S. state of Oregon. The OLCC was created by an act of the Oregon Legislative Assembly in 1933, days after the repeal of prohibition, as a means of providing control over the distribution, sales and consumption of alcoholic...
- Oregon LotteryOregon LotteryThe Oregon Lottery is run by the government of Oregon. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .- History :The Oregon Lottery was enabled by an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, approved by voters in the 1984 general election. The Lottery began the next year, eventually offering...
- Oregon Parks and RecreationOregon Parks and Recreation DepartmentThe Oregon Parks and Recreation Department , officially known as the State Parks and Recreation Department, is the government agency of the U.S. state of Oregon which operates its system of state parks...
- State Fair and Exposition CenterOregon State Fair-National Register of Historic Places:The state fairground is the site of two historic buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Oregon State Fair Stadium and Poultry Building Ensemble. The 1919 horse stadium and the 1921 poultry building were added to the register in 2002...
- State Fair and Exposition Center
- Oregon State PoliceOregon State PoliceThe Oregon State Police is the main state law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of Oregon. They have been charged to enforce all of Oregon's criminal laws and to help local law enforcement agencies with their duties...
- Oregon Department of TransportationOregon Department of TransportationThe Oregon Department of Transportation is a department of the state government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for systems of transportation. It was first established in 1969. It had been preceded by the Oregon State Highway Department which, along with the Oregon State Highway...
- Oregon University SystemOregon University SystemThe Oregon University System consists of seven public, four-year universities in the State of Oregon administered by the Chancellor of the OUS, who is appointed by the Oregon State Board of Higher Education...
- Oregon State Board of Higher EducationOregon State Board of Higher EducationThe Oregon State Board of Higher Education is the statutory governing board for the Oregon University System. The board is composed of eleven members appointed by the Governor of Oregon and confirmed by the Oregon State Senate...
- Oregon State Board of Higher Education