About Oregon Administrative Rules and the Oregon Bulletin
The annual Oregon Administrative Rules Compilation and monthly Oregon Bulletin.
ORS 183.310(9) defines “rule” as “any agency directive, standard, regulation or statement of general applicability that implements, interprets or prescribes law or policy, or describes the procedure or practice requirements of any agency.” The Oregon Administrative Rules are published by Kate Brown, Oregon Secretary of State.
General Information
The Administrative Rules Unit, Archives Division, Secretary of State publishes the Oregon Administrative Rules Compilation and the on-line Oregon Bulletin. The Oregon Administrative Rules Compilation is an annual publication containing the complete text of the Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) filed during the previous year through November 15, or the last workday before that if the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday. The Oregon Bulletin is a monthly on-line supplement that contains rule text amended after publication of the print Compilation, as well proposed rulemaking and rulemaking hearing notices. The Bulletin also publishes certain non-OAR items such as Executive Orders of the Governor, Opinions of the Attorney General, and Department of Environmental Quality cleanup notices.
Background on Oregon Administrative Rules
ORS 183.310(9) defines “rule” as “any agency directive, standard, regulation or statement of general applicability that implements, interprets or prescribes law or policy, or describes the procedure or practice requirements of any agency.” Agencies may adopt, amend, repeal or renumber rules, permanently or temporarily (up to 180 days), using the procedures outlined in the Oregon Attorney General’s Administrative Law Manual. The Administrative Rules Unit assists agencies with the notification, filing and publication requirements of the administrative rules process.
How to Cite
Every administrative rule uses the same numbering sequence of a 3 digit agency chapter number followed by a 3 digit division number and ending with a 4 digit rule number (000-000-0000). Example: Oregon Administrative Rules, chapter 166, division 500, rule 0020 (short form: OAR 166-500-0020).
Understanding an Administrative Rule’s “History”
State agencies operate in a dynamic environment of ever-changing laws, public concerns and legislative mandates which necessitate ongoing rulemaking. To track the changes to individual rules and organize the rule filing forms for permanent retention, the Administrative Rules Unit has developed for each rule a “history” which is located at the end of rule text. An administrative rule “history” outlines the statutory authority, statutes implemented and dates of each authorized modification to the rule text. Changes are listed in chronological order and identify in abbreviated form the agency, filing number, year, filing date and effective date. For example: “OSA 4-1993, f. & cert. ef. 11-10-93” documents a rule change made by the Oregon State Archives (OSA). The history notes that this was the 4th filing from the Archives in 1993, it was filed on November 10, 1993 and the rule changes became effective on the same date. The most recent change to each rule is listed at the end of the “history.”
Locating the Most Recent Version of an Administrative Rule
The on-line OAR Compilation is updated on the first of each month to include all rule actions filed with the Administrative Rules Unit, Secretary of State by the 15th of the previous month, or the last workday before the 15th if that date falls on a weekend or holiday. The annual printed OAR Compilation contains the full text of rules filed during the previous year through November 15, or the last workday before that if the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday. Subsequent changes to individual administrative rules are listed by rule number in the OAR Revision Cumulative Index, which is published monthly in the on-line Oregon Bulletin. These listings include the effective date, the specific rulemaking action, and the issue of the Bulletin which contains the full text of the amended rule. The Bulletin contains the full text of permanent and temporary rules filed for publication.
Locating Administrative Rules Unit Publications
The Oregon Administrative Rules Compilation and the Oregon Bulletin are available on-line at this web site. Printed volumes of the Compilation are deposited in Oregon’s Public Documents Depository Libraries listed in OAR 543-070-0000. Complete sets and individual volumes of the Compilation may be ordered with this form or by contacting: Administrative Rules Unit, Archives Division, 800 Summer Street NE, Salem, OR 97310,
(503) 378-5199, Julie.A.Yamaka@ state.or.us
2012–2013 Oregon Bulletin Submission and Publication Schedule
The Administrative Rules Unit accepts rulemaking notices and filings through its on-line filing system accessible on the OAR web site. To expedite the rulemaking process agencies are encouraged file a Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking Hearing specifying hearing date, time and location, and submit their filings early in the submission period to meet the following publication deadlines.
| Submission Deadline | Publishing Date | |
| December 14, 2012 | January 1, 2013 | |
| January 15, 2013 | February 1, 2013 | |
| February 15, 2013 | March 1, 2013 | |
| March 15, 2013 | April 1, 2013 | |
| April 15, 2013 | May 1, 2013 | |
| May 15, 2013 | June 1, 2013 | |
| June 14, 2013 | July 1, 2013 | |
| July 15, 2013 | August 1, 2013 | |
| August 15, 2013 | September 1, 2013 | |
| September 13, 2013 | October 1, 2013 | |
| October 15, 2013 | November 1, 2013 | |
| November 15, 2013 | December 1, 2013 |
Reminder for Agency Rules Coordinators
Pursuant to ORS 183.330, each agency that engages in rulemaking must appoint a rules coordinator and file an “Appointment of Agency Rules Coordinator” form, ARC 910-2011 (Microsoft Word format), with the Administrative Rules Unit, Archives Division, Secretary of State. Agencies which delegate rulemaking authority to an officer or employee within the agency must also file a “Delegation of Rulemaking Authority” form, ARC 915-2005 (Microsoft Word format). It is the agency’s responsibility to monitor the rulemaking authority of selected employees and to keep the appropriate forms updated. The Administrative Rules Unit does not verify agency signatures as part of the rulemaking process.
Publication Authority
The Oregon Bulletin is published pursuant to ORS 183.360(3). Copies of the original Administrative Orders may be obtained from the Secretary of State, Archives Division, 800 Summer Street, Salem, Oregon, 97310; (503) 373-0701. The Archives Division charges for such copies.
NoteThe official copy of an Oregon Administrative Rule is contained in the Administrative Order filed at the Archives Division, 800 Summer St. NE, Salem, Oregon 97310. Any discrepancies with the published version are satisfied in favor of the Administrative Order. The Oregon Administrative Rules and the Oregon Bulletin are copyrighted by the Oregon Secretary of State. Terms and Conditions of Use