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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Senate Bill 619
Sponsored by Senator BONHAM (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 changes how the Governor may grant pardons and take similar actions. (Flesch
Readability Score: 63.4).
Requires that all executive clemency actions by the Governor be initiated by application and
follow specified procedures.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to executive clemency; amending ORS 144.649, 144.650 and 144.670.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. ORS 144.649 is amended to read:
144.649. Subject to the procedures described in ORS 144.650, and upon such conditions and
with such restrictions and limitations as the Governor thinks proper, the Governor may grant
reprieves, commutations and pardons, after convictions, for all crimes and may remit, after judgment
therefor, all penalties and forfeitures.
SECTION 2. ORS 144.650 is amended to read:
144.650. (1) The Governor may grant a reprieve, pardon, commutation or remission only:
(a) After receiving an application; and
(b) In accordance with this section.
[(1)] (2) When an application for a reprieve, pardon, commutation or remission is made to the
Governor, a copy of the application, signed by the person applying and stating fully the grounds of
the application, shall be served upon:
(a) The district attorney of the county where the conviction occurred;
(b) If the person applying is housed in a correctional facility within the State of Oregon, the
district attorney of the county in which the correctional facility is located;
(c) The State Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision; and
(d) The Director of the Department of Corrections.
[(2)] (3) Proof by affidavit of the service shall be presented to the Governor.
[(3)] (4) Upon receiving a copy of the application, the district attorney of the county where the
conviction occurred shall:
(a) Notify the victim of the crime concerning the application and the victim’s right to provide
the Governor with any information relevant to the Governor’s decision;
(b) Provide the Governor with any information relevant to the Governor’s decision that the
victim wishes to have provided; and
(c) Provide the Governor with copies of the following documents:
(A) Police and other investigative reports;
(B) The charging instrument;
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 1857 SB619
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(C) The plea petition, if applicable;
(D) The judgment of conviction and sentence;
(E) Any victim impact statements submitted or filed; and
(F) Any documents evidencing the applying person’s payment or nonpayment of restitution or
compensatory fines ordered by the court.
[(4)] (5) In addition to providing the documents described in subsection [(3)] (4) of this section,
upon receiving a copy of the application for reprieve, pardon, commutation or remission, any person
or agency named in subsection [(1)] (2) of this section shall provide to the Governor as soon as
practicable such information and records relating to the case as the Governor may request and shall
provide further information and records relating to the case that the person or agency considers
relevant to the issue of reprieve, pardon, commutation or remission, including but not limited to:
(a) Statements by the victim of the crime or any member of the victim’s immediate family, as
defined in ORS 163.730;
(b) A statement by the district attorney of the county where the conviction occurred; and
(c) Photos of the victim and the autopsy report, if applicable.
[(5)] (6) Following receipt by the Governor of an application for reprieve, pardon, commutation
or remission, the Governor shall not grant the application for at least 30 days. Upon the expiration
of 180 days, if the Governor has not granted the reprieve, pardon, commutation or remission applied
for, the application shall lapse. Any further proceedings for reprieve, pardon, commutation or re-
mission in the case shall be pursuant only to further application and notice.
SECTION 3. ORS 144.670 is amended to read:
144.670. When the Governor grants a reprieve, commutation or pardon or remits a fine or
forfeiture, the Governor shall within 10 days thereafter file all the papers presented to the Governor
in relation thereto, including any documents provided under ORS 144.650 [(3)] (4) or [(4)] (5), in the
office of the Secretary of State, by whom they shall be kept as public records, open to public in-
spection.
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