LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
How Oregon bills actually become laws.
Two chambers. One requirement.
To pass a law, a bill must get a "Constitutional Majority" in both the House and the Senate. Not a simple majority — a constitutional majority based on total seats.
Both chambers must pass the exact same text. If one chamber amends a bill, the other must approve those changes.
The path of a bill: Seven stages, twice.
A bill can start in either the House or the Senate. It goes through the origin chamber first, then crosses over to the second chamber. Both must pass the exact same text.
Introduction
The bill gets a number. HB = House Bill (starts in House). SB = Senate Bill (starts in Senate). It's assigned to a committee based on subject matter.
Committee Work Sessions
The committee holds public hearings where citizens and lobbyists testify. This is your opportunity to put your position on the record. Hearings must conclude by the work session deadline.
⚡ This is your best chance to testify and influence the bill before the committee votes.
Committee Vote
After hearings end, the committee has days or weeks to negotiate and vote. This is when amendment activity spikes — sometimes 300+ amendments in the final 48 hours. When adopted, these amendments create new engrossed versions (A-Engrossed, B-Engrossed, etc.) with completely new bill text.
⚡ Most bills die here. The final 48 hours before the vote deadline is when the real action happens.
Floor Vote (Origin Chamber)
If the committee passes it, the bill goes to the full floor of the origin chamber. Legislators debate. They vote. If it fails, it's dead. If it passes, it crosses over.
The Crossover
The bill moves to the other chamber. The whole process repeats: committee work sessions → committee vote → floor vote. Public hearings happen again. You can testify again.
Concurrence (If Amended)
If the second chamber amends the bill, it must go back to the origin chamber for "concurrence" (agreement on the changes). If they refuse, the bill might die or go to a conference committee to negotiate a compromise.
The Governor
Once both chambers agree on the exact same text, it goes to the Governor. The Governor can sign it (becomes law), veto it (rejected), or take no action (becomes law automatically).
Why this matters: A bill can go through 4-5 engrossed versions between introduction and final passage. Each engrossed version is a complete new bill text. Committee amendments create A-Engrossed. Floor amendments create B-Engrossed. Second chamber creates C-Engrossed. By the time it's Enrolled and reaches the Governor, you might be reading version D or E — and those changes happen in 48-hour bursts during deadline rush.
A bill has multiple versions. You need to track all of them.
As a bill moves through the process, it changes. Each change creates a new official version. Understanding the difference between amendments and engrossed versions is critical.
The Version Progression
Original bill as filed
After first amendments
After second amendments
Final version to Governor
Each engrossed version is a complete, new bill text. The letter (A, B, C, D...) tracks how many rounds of amendments have been incorporated. A bill can go through 4-5 engrossed versions as it moves through both chambers.
Amendment
A set of instructions for changing the bill text.
Amendment -1 to HB 2005:
"On page 2, line 5, delete 'shall' and insert 'may'."
"On page 3, delete lines 10 through 15."
Think of it like a "diff" or "patch file" — just the changes, not the full document.
Amendments are numbered: -1, -2, -3, etc.
Amendments reference versions: "Amendment -2 to A-Engrossed HB 2005"
Engrossed Version
The complete bill text AFTER amendments have been applied.
HB 2005 A-Engrossed:
[Full 50-page bill text with all Amendment -1 changes incorporated]
Think of it like the "full document after applying the patch" — the authoritative version.
Created by Legislative Counsel: They take the amendment instructions and produce the new version.
This is what gets voted on: Legislators vote on the complete engrossed version, not the amendment.
Why This Makes Tracking Hard
1. You need to read BOTH. An amendment tells you what changed. The engrossed version tells you what the bill actually says now.
2. Amendments can be massive. A "gut and stuff" amendment might be 50 pages of instructions that completely replace the bill.
3. Multiple amendments can drop at once. During deadline rush, you might see Amendment -1, -2, -3, -4, and -5 all posted within hours.
4. The bill number never changes. HB 2005 stays "HB 2005" even if the A-Engrossed version is about a completely different topic.
5. OLIS doesn't auto-compare versions. You have to manually read "Introduced" vs "A-Engrossed" to see what changed.
Example: Tracking HB 2005 Through Multiple Versions
HB 2005 Introduced — "Relating to highway safety" (5 pages)
Committee posts Amendment -1 (2 pages of minor changes)
Committee adopts Amendment -1
HB 2005 A-Engrossed published (5 pages, slightly different)
Committee posts Amendment -2 to A-Engrossed HB 2005 (48 pages!)
This is a gut-and-stuff — deletes highway text, inserts hospital regulation text
Committee adopts Amendment -2
HB 2005 B-Engrossed published (50 pages, completely different topic)
After crossing to Senate, Senate committee posts Amendment -3 to B-Engrossed HB 2005
Senate adopts Amendment -3
HB 2005 C-Engrossed published
Both chambers pass HB 2005 C-Engrossed
HB 2005 Enrolled — final version to Governor
If you were tracking HB 2005: You'd need to read the Introduced version, Amendment -1, A-Engrossed, Amendment -2 (gut-and-stuff!), B-Engrossed, Amendment -3, C-Engrossed, and Enrolled — that's 8 different documents for one bill number.
Most bills die along the way.
In Oregon's 2025 long session, 3,465 bills were introduced. Only 18% became law. Understanding the funnel helps you focus on bills that are actually moving.
Why this matters: If you're tracking 30 bills, statistically only 5-6 will become law. But you won't know which ones until they're moving through the process. Effective tracking means checking OLIS daily for all 30 — refreshing pages, comparing PDFs, reading testimony.
Three things that make tracking bills harder than it looks
The textbook version of how bills become laws is simple. The reality involves tactics, deadlines, and last-minute changes that can catch you off guard if you're not watching closely.
The "Gut and Stuff"
A bill about "Highways" (HB 1234 Introduced) suddenly becomes a bill about "Hospitals" via a 50-page amendment. The bill number stays the same. The new A-Engrossed version is completely different content. The hearings already happened. You have hours — not days — to respond.
How to spot it: Look for a massive amendment (-1, -2, etc.) that's 40+ pages. That's a gut-and-stuff. You need to read both the amendment instructions AND the new engrossed version.
The Emergency Clause
An amendment adds: "This act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace..." — the emergency clause. The law takes effect immediately when signed. And citizens can't gather signatures to challenge it via referendum.
These clauses can appear in amendments days before the final vote.
The Deadline Rush
The session runs on strict deadlines. If a bill doesn't move out of committee by a specific date, it's dead. This creates predictable bottlenecks: hundreds of amendments, dozens of hearings, and thousands of pages of testimony — all in the final 48 hours.
Watching 30 bills approach the same deadline is impossible without automation.
The Legislative Trojan Horse
How a 1-page bill about "parentage" becomes a 180-page omnibus package.
The "gut and stuff" (also called "shell and stuff" or "bait and switch") isn't just editing — it's a total identity transplant. A legislator takes an existing bill, deletes most or all of the original content (the "Gut"), and replaces it with completely new legislation (the "Stuff").
Why This Tactic Works
1. It cheats the clock: New ideas can be introduced long after the deadline for new bills has passed.
2. It cheats the public: You can't testify on a bill you don't know exists. If you were tracking the "Speed Bump" bill, you stopped paying attention weeks ago. You didn't know it just became the "Road Tax" bill.
3. The bill number stays the same: OLIS doesn't send alerts when content changes. You have to manually check every bill you're tracking to see if it's been gut-and-stuffed.
How Common Is This? (2025 Session)
Of approximately 2,900 bills in Oregon's 2025 long session:
Standard Edits (86%)
Minor edits, typos, small refinements
Major Changes (13%)
Significant content changes
Gut & Stuff (1%)
Shell-and-stuff (massive expansion) or bait-and-switch (topic shift)
Data from Oregon's 2025R1 Long Session analysis. "Gut & Stuff" includes both shell-and-stuff (massive expansion) and bait-and-switch (topic shift) bills.
Real Examples: The "Hall of Fame"
The Balloon
Shell-and-Stuff: Massive Expansion
Before: Parentage Bill
Small bill "Relating to parentage" — 3,462 characters
Size: 3,462 characters
Amendment -1
177x larger (17,667%)
After: Omnibus Package
Massive package — 615,099 characters. Only 4% vocabulary overlap with original.
Size: 615,099 characters
The deadline rush, by the numbers.
In the final 48 hours before legislative deadlines, activity spikes dramatically. This is when tracking 30 bills manually becomes impossible.
Testimonies in Final 48 Hours Before Deadlines
Public testimonies submitted in final 48 hours
Why this matters: During the 2025 session's first chamber deadline, 4,450 testimonies were submitted in just 48 hours. If you're tracking 30 bills and even 10% cross that deadline, you're looking at 400+ testimonies to read in two days — while also monitoring amendments and hearing schedules. That's where manual tracking breaks down.
How to testify: The rules and the traps.
You have the right to testify on any bill. But the system has strict deadlines — and several "gotchas" where the official rules and OLIS availability don't line up.
The Official Deadlines (2025 Session)
| Type of Testimony | The Rule / Deadline | Where to do it |
|---|---|---|
| Register to Speak (In-Person or Remote) | You must register 30 minutes before the meeting start time. The link disappears exactly at the 30-minute mark. | OLIS: Meeting Agenda or Bill Overview page |
| Submit Written Testimony | You have until 48 hours AFTER the meeting starts. (This is a change; it used to be 24 hours.) | OLIS: "Submit Testimony" tab on the Bill page |
| Meeting Notice (Standard) | Agendas must be posted 48 hours in advance (House) or 24 hours (Senate/Short Session). | OLIS: Committee Agendas |
The Three Traps (Where the system breaks down)
The "Sine Die Imminent" Rule (1-Hour Warning)
Toward the end of the session, the Speaker and Senate President declare that "Sine Die" (end of session) is imminent. When this happens, the 48-hour advance notice requirement is suspended. Committees can schedule meetings with just 1 hour notice.
The Trap: A bill might not be on an agenda at 9:00 AM. At 10:00 AM, a meeting is scheduled for 11:00 AM. The "Register to Testify" button appears at 10:00 AM and disappears at 10:30 AM. If you aren't refreshing OLIS during that 30-minute window, you miss your chance to speak.
The "Gut and Stuff" (Bill Content vs. Bill Number)
Sometimes you're tracking a bill about "Highways" (e.g., HB 2005). Suddenly, an amendment deletes the entire text and replaces it with content about "Hospitals." The bill number stays the same.
The Trap: The "Register" button is attached to the bill number. If you're waiting for a new bill about "Hospitals," you'll never see it. You have to testify on the "Highway" bill which is now secretly the "Hospital" bill. Look for a "-1" or "-2" amendment that's 50+ pages long — that's a gut and stuff.
Informational vs. Public vs. Work Session
Not all committee meetings accept public testimony:
- ✓Public Hearing: Committee must accept testimony. The button will be there.
- ~Informational Hearing: Committee listens to invited experts. Public testimony may not be allowed. The "Register to Testify" button might not appear.
- ✗Work Session: Generally, no public testimony. Legislators discuss and vote. You cannot register to speak (but you can still submit written testimony).
Pro Tips: How Lobbyists Don't Get Locked Out
Missed the 30-minute oral registration window? Submit written testimony.
You have 48 hours after the meeting starts. Legislators often read this when deciding their vote. Write "FOR THE RECORD" at the top to ensure it's cataloged correctly.
OLIS glitching? Email the Committee Administrator directly.
Go to the Committee page → "Committee Staff" tab → Email the Committee Administrator. Subject: "Registration Issue - [Bill Number] - [Your Name]". They can manually add you before the meeting starts.
Use the "e-Subscribe" feature on OLIS.
Select "Meeting Notices" for your bills/committees. You'll get an email the second an agenda is posted, giving you maximum time to hit the registration link.
Watch the "Posted" timestamp on agendas.
If an agenda was posted less than 24 hours ago, assume deadlines are tight and register immediately. End-of-session can mean 1-hour notice.