How to Use The Oregon State Legislature Website

Resources for Oregon Business Owners

The Oregon Legislature can feel distant, technical, or difficult to follow, but the decisions made there often have real, practical impacts on businesses across the state. Understanding how to navigate the Legislature’s website allows business owners to stay informed, anticipate changes, and engage more effectively when issues matter to them.

The videos below, created by the Oregon State Chamber of Commerce, walk through how to find and follow legislation using Oregon’s official legislative tools.

Who This Is For

These resources are especially helpful for:

• Small and mid-sized business owners
• HR, compliance, and operations managers
• Contractors and regulated industries
• Nonprofit and association leaders
• Anyone who wants to better understand how state-level decisions are made

No prior experience with the Legislature or its website is required.

Why Oregon Business Owners Might Want to Use the Legislature Website

For many business owners, the Legislature’s website is the most direct way to understand what’s happening in Salem without relying solely on headlines or summaries. Learning how to navigate it can help business owners:

• Track legislation that affects their industry
  Bills related to labor laws, licensing, environmental standards, taxes, fees, and industry-specific regulations are introduced and debated each session.
• Understand upcoming compliance requirements early
  Following bills while they are still in committee can provide valuable lead time to plan, budget, or adjust operations.
• Monitor taxes, fees, and incentives
  The Legislature is where new tax proposals, credits, grants, and incentive programs are introduced and negotiated.
• See who is sponsoring and supporting bills
  Knowing which legislators are backing specific proposals can offer insight into political priorities and regional representation.
• Follow the progress of a bill in real time
  The website shows whether a bill is in committee, amended, passed, or no longer moving forward.
• Prepare for testimony or written comments
  Business owners do not need to be professional lobbyists to participate, but they do need to know where and when public input is accepted.
• Advocate more effectively through chambers or associations
  Even a basic understanding of the legislative process can make conversations with trade groups and policymakers more productive.
• Go directly to the source
  The site provides official bill text, amendments, schedules, and hearing records in one place.

Watch These Videos When…

If you’re not sure where to start, this guide may help:

• If you’ve never used the Legislature website before
  Start with the introductory video that explains the site layout and basic navigation.
• If you want to track a specific bill or topic
  Watch the video covering bill searches, keywords, and tracking tools.
• If you want to understand committees and hearings
  The committee-focused video explains how bills move, where testimony happens, and how to follow work sessions.
• If you want to stay updated during the legislative session
  Look for tips on alerts, schedules, and timelines so you can monitor activity without checking the site daily.

The Video Guides

How to navigate OLIS and look up bill information

How to watch hearings on OLIS

How to submit written testimony on OLIS

How to register to testify on OLIS