Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 203 § 203.045 — Procedure for adopting ordinance; inapplicability to county prescribing
Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 203 ·
Oregon Code § 203.045·Enacted ·Last updated March 01, 2026
Statute Text
Procedure for adopting ordinance; inapplicability to county prescribing
procedure by charter or other statutes.
(1) This section does not apply to a county that
prescribes by charter the manner of adopting ordinances for the county or to an
ordinance authorized by a statute other than ORS 203.035.
(2) The ordaining
clause of an ordinance adopted under ORS 203.035 shall read:
(a) In case of
adoption by the county governing body only, The (name of the governing body)
ordains as follows:.
(b) In case of
adoption or ratification by the electors of the county, The People of (name of
county) ordain as follows:.
(3) Except as
subsections (4) and (5) of this section provide to the contrary, every
ordinance of a county governing body shall, before being put upon its final
adoption, be read fully and distinctly in open meeting of that body on two days
at least 13 days apart.
(4) Except as
subsection (5) of this section provides to the contrary, and except ordinances
imposing, or providing exemptions from, taxation, an ordinance necessary to
meet an emergency may, upon being read first in full and then by title, be
adopted at a single meeting of the governing body by unanimous vote of all its
members present, provided they constitute a quorum.
(5) Any reading
required by subsection (3) or (4) of this section may be by title only:
(a) If no member
of the governing body present at the meeting requests that the ordinance be
read in full; or
(b) If, not later
than one week before the first reading of the ordinance, a copy of it is
provided each member, copies of it are available at the headquarters of the
governing body, one copy for each person who requests it, and notice of the
availability is given by:
(A) Written
notice posted at the courthouse of the county and two other public places in
the county; and
(B) Publication
at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, designated
by the county governing body and published in the county or, if no newspaper is
so published, then in one published elsewhere.
(6) An ordinance
adopted after being read by title only may have no legal effect if it differs
substantially from its terms as it is thus filed prior to the reading, unless
each section incorporating such a difference, as finally amended prior to being
adopted by the governing body, is read fully and distinctly in open meeting of
that body.
(7) Upon the
final vote on an ordinance, the ayes and nays of the members of the governing
body shall be taken and recorded in the record of proceedings of the body.
(8) Upon the
adoption of an ordinance by the governing body in accordance with this section,
the chairperson and recording secretary of the body at the session at which the
ordinance is adopted shall sign it with the date of its adoption and with their
names and titles of office or position.
(9) An ordinance
adopted in accordance with this section, if not an emergency ordinance, shall
take effect on the 90th day after the date of its adoption, unless it
prescribes a later effective date or is referred to the electors of the county.
If an ordinance is referred to the electors, it shall take effect only upon the
approval of a majority of those voting on the proposed ordinance. An emergency
ordinance may take effect immediately upon the date of its adoption. [1973
c.282 §3; 1975 c.736 §1]
Plain English Explanation
This Oregon statute addresses Procedure for adopting ordinance; inapplicability to county prescribing
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Key Points
01Part of Oregon statutory law
02Referenced as Oregon Code § 203.045
03Subject to legislative amendments
04Consult a licensed attorney for application to specific cases
Frequently Asked Questions
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