LOC News
Veto of HB 4177 – Public Meeting Confusion Continues
On Thursday afternoon, Governor Tina Kotek vetoed HB 4177, one of three bills included in a government ethics package that passed during the 2026 session. The LOC was deeply involved in a legislative workgroup to develop the package ahead of the session. We are disappointed by this veto of a heavily negotiated bill, which represented a compromise for local governments.
HB 4177 would have ensured that deliberation and decision making for a governing body occur in public meetings, while allowing individual officials to seek information, discuss procedural matters (like agenda setting and timing), and communicate with constituents and the media. While this aligns with Oregon public meetings case law dating back to the 1980s, media outlets across the state expressed transparency concerns with this component of the bill. HB 4177 included other components related to training requirements and technical clarity.
Local governments have struggled to understand government ethics requirements given the inconsistent and confusing guidance coming from staff of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC). HB 4177 was drafted to address these challenges and received broad, bipartisan support from legislators. The LOC, member cities, and other government partners engaged with Governor Kotek and her staff to share how this bill would have addressed the consequences of OGEC staff guidance.
In her veto letter, the governor calls on the OGEC to work “urgently, diligently, and openly with the legislature, [her] office, and key stakeholders to provide as much clarity as possible between now and the next legislative session and develop workable language for passage in the 2027 session.” The LOC appreciates this call to action, and, at the same time, the veto of this bill has far reaching consequences for member cities that will remain unresolved.
The LOC further urges the OGEC to undertake good faith efforts to restore trust and confidence in the agency. The OGEC has been slow to respond to reports of significant problems with their training program and was not transparent in its engagement on HB 4177, among other issues. These actions call into question the credibility of agency leadership and must be resolved for constructive conversations to take place. The OGEC plays an important role in providing education and oversight of government ethics, and local governments rely on a constructive partnership to achieve our shared goal of strong government ethics.
While this veto is not the outcome we advocated for, the LOC would like to thank those member cities that mobilized in response to last week’s veto notice. The LOC is preparing for another round of work group conversation, and we will communicate about these efforts and others related to the OGEC.
Contact: Nicole Stingh, Legislative Director – nstingh@orcities.org
Last Updated 4/17/26