ORS 192.630: Meetings of governing body to be open to public; location of meetings; accommodation for person with disability; interpreters.

(1) All meetings of the governing body of a public body shall be open to the public and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting except as otherwise provided by ORS 192.610 to 192.705. (2) A quorum of a governing body may not meet in private for the purpose of deciding on or deliberating toward a decision on any matter except as otherwise provided by ORS 192.610 to 192.705. (3) A governing body may not hold a meeting at any place where discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age or disability is practiced. However, the fact that organizations with restricted membership hold meetings at the place does not restrict its use by a public body if use of the place by a restricted membership organization is not the primary purpose of the place or its predominant use. (4)(a) Meetings of the governing body of a public body shall be held: (A) Within the geographic boundaries over which the public body has jurisdiction; (B) At the administrative headquarters of the public body; (C) At the nearest practical location; or (D) If the public body is a state, county, city or special district entity, within Indian country of a federally recognized Oregon Indian tribe that is within the geographic boundaries of this state. For purposes of this subparagraph, “Indian country” has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 1151. (b) Training sessions may be held outside the jurisdiction as long as no deliberations toward a decision are involved. (c) A joint meeting of two or more governing bodies or of one or more governing bodies and the elected officials of one or more federally recognized Oregon Indian tribes shall be held within the geographic boundaries over which one of the participating public bodies or one of the Oregon Indian tribes has jurisdiction or at the nearest practical location. (d) Meetings may be held in locations other than those described in this subsection in the event of an actual emergency necessitating immediate action. (5)(a) It is discrimination on the basis of disability for a governing body of a public body to meet in a place inaccessible to persons with disabilities, or, upon request of a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, to fail to make a good faith effort to have an interpreter for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing provided at a regularly scheduled meeting. The sole remedy for discrimination on the basis of disability shall be as provided in ORS 192.680. (b) The person requesting the interpreter shall give the governing body at least 48 hours’ notice of the request for an interpreter, shall provide the name of the requester, sign language preference and any other relevant information the governing body may request. (c) If a meeting is held upon less than 48 hours’ notice, reasonable effort shall be made to have an interpreter present, but the requirement for an interpreter does not apply to emergency meetings. (d) If certification of interpreters occurs under state or federal law, the Oregon Health Authority or other state or local agency shall try to refer only certified interpreters to governing bodies for purposes of this subsection. (e) As used in this subsection, “good faith effort” includes, but is not limited to, contacting the department or other state or local agency that maintains a list of qualified interpreters and arranging for the referral of one or more qualified interpreters to provide interpreter services. [1973 c.172 §3; 1979 c.644 §2; 1989 c.1019 §1; 1995 c.626 §1; 2003 c.14 §95; 2005 c.663 §12; 2007 c.70 §52; 2007 c.100 §21; 2009 c.595 §173; 2017 c.482 §1; 2019 c.286 §1; 2021 c.367 §12]