NOTICE: The meeting previously scheduled for September 19 will occur on October 3 instead.
The Oregon Sunshine Committee is holding its regular meeting on Wednesday, October 3rd, from 1:30 to 4:30 PM in Hearing Room C of the Oregon State Capitol, 900 Court St NE, Salem, OR 97301. The meeting will also be streamed live on the Citizen Engagement Video website.
The meeting will largely focus on public comment regarding a handful of categories of personal information that are currently exempt from public disclosure in some circumstances. The Committee already heard testimony about the protections for personal contact information (address, telephone number, and email address) contained in the exemptions now being reviewed. Additional comments regarding contact information will be accepted. But the Committee is particularly interested in other types of personal information that fall within some of the exemptions currently being discussed:
- Social Security Numbers
- Oregon Driver License Numbers
- Dates of Birth
- Public Employer-issued ID Card Numbers
- Nonfinancial Membership Records of PERS members and Retirees
The exemptions being reviewed by the Committee that protect this information generally apply to public employees and, in some cases, to people who are privately employed in publicly-funded jobs, such as home care and child care workers.
Comment regarding the benefits and drawbacks of exempting this information from public disclosure will be helpful to the Committee. Members of the public should be aware that the fact the Committee is reviewing an exemption does not suggest that the Committee approves or disapproves of the exemption. The purpose of the Committee’s review is to make recommendations to the Oregon Legislative Assembly with regard to exemptions. Actual changes in the law require legislative action.
Here is the full agenda currently planned for the meeting:
- Introductions
- Approval of Prior Minutes (possible discussion, vote)
- Public Comment
- Future Business (possible discussion)
Materials relevant to these items will be posted on the Public Records Reform/Sunshine Committee web page.
Written comments to the Oregon Sunshine Committee about its work and requests for accommodation can be sent to SunshineCommittee@doj.oregon.gov.