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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 2255
Sponsored by Representatives YUNKER, DIEHL; Representative WRIGHT, Senators NASH, ROBINSON, SMITH
DB (Presession filed.)
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.The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act says that courts may not defer to a state agency’s thinking about a law or rule.
The Act says that courts have to use an interpretation that limits agency power and favors people’s
liberty. (Flesch Readability Score: 64.0).
Provides that courts may not defer to an agency’s interpretation of a statute or rule. Directs
courts to exercise doubt in favor of an interpretation that limits agency power and maximizes indi-
vidual liberty.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to interpretation of laws.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section:
(a) “Rule” has the meaning given that term in ORS 183.310.
(b) “State agency” means any officer, board, commission, department, division or insti-
tution in the executive or administrative branch of state government.
(2) In the interpretation of a statute or rule, a court may not defer to a state agency’s
interpretation of the statute or rule.
(3) In a proceeding in which a state agency is a party, the court or other adjudicator,
after applying all customary tools of interpretation, shall exercise any remaining doubt in
favor of a reasonable interpretation that limits agency power and maximizes individual lib-
erty.
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 621