(1) Not later than the 99th day before a special election held on the date of a primary election or any general election at which any state measure is to be submitted to the people, the committee appointed under ORS § 251.205 shall prepare and electronically file with the Secretary of State, an impartial, simple and understandable statement explaining the measure. The statement shall not exceed 500 words.

(2) Not later than the 95th day before the election, the Secretary of State shall hold a hearing in Salem upon reasonable statewide notice to receive suggested changes or other information relating to any explanatory statement. At the hearing any person may submit suggested changes or other information orally or in writing. Written suggestions or other information also may be submitted at any time before the hearing.

(3) The committee for each measure shall consider suggestions and any other information submitted under subsection (2) of this section, and may file a revised statement with the Secretary of State not later than the 90th day before the election.

(4) The original statement and any revised statement must be approved by at least three members of the committee. If a member does not concur, the statement shall show only that the member dissents.

(5) For purposes of this section, ‘measure’ includes an initiative petition relating to a state measure that has been filed with the Secretary of State for the purpose of verifying signatures under ORS § 250.105. The requirements of this section shall not apply to the petition if the secretary determines that the petition contains less than the required number of signatures of electors. [Formerly 254.222; 1991 c.719 § 49; 1993 c.493 § 20; 1993 c.811 § 14; 1995 c.712 § 42; 2001 c.965 § 10; 2011 c.646 § 5]