Open Oregon is an educational and charitable organization with a single mission: to assist and educate the general public, students, educators, public officials, media and legal professionals to understand and exercise:

• Their rights to open government.
• Their rights and responsibilities under the Oregon Public Meetings and Records laws.
• Their rights under the federal Freedom of Information Act.

Purpose

Laws guaranteeing open government were enacted nationwide in the 1970s. Oregon’s pioneering ‘sunshine’ legislation was part of Gov. Tom McCall’s legacy to Oregon Citizens. But since those days, the working of the public meeting and records laws have faded from public consciousness. As a result, many citizens don’t know they have a right to open government and some elected officials and government employees mistakenly withhold information from the public or conduct public business in secret.

Open Oregon represents a coalition of Oregonians who believe that the best way to have a responsible and trusted government is to make sure their government operates openly.

Activities

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Open Oregon has produced a ‘Guide to the Public Meetings Law’ that can be used by state and local government officials, elected community leaders, citizens and non-profit groups.

Having received a grant to prepare a quick reference guide to Oregon's public records law, the work on this guide is proceeding. In the future, Open Oregon will conduct seminars and educational workshops, act as a clearinghouse to document, mediate and resolve public meetings and records law abuses by government, publish handbooks and conduct independent research on Oregonians’ access to their government.

A national network

Open Oregon receives Knight Foundation grants

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Open regon has received more than $16,000 to produce a "Guide to the Public Meetings Law" for use by citizens and government officials, published in 1999; to create a web site, http://www.open-oregon.com. And to produce a guide on how to use Oregon's public records law. The funding came from the National Freedom of Information Coalition through a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Open Oregon honorary co-chairs:

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Bill Bradbury - Oregon Secretary of State
Dave Frohnmayer - President, University of Oregon

Open Oregon Executive Committee:

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Judson Randall President Adviser, Portland State University Student Publications	Therese Bottomly Secretary Managing Editor, The Oregonian
Lisa Phipps Vice President Mayor, City of Rockaway Beach	Ken Lewis Treasurer Portland Attorney