(1) A filing office shall refuse to accept a record for filing for a reason set forth in ORS § 79.0516 (2) and may refuse to accept a record for filing only for a reason set forth in ORS § 79.0516 (2).

(2)(a) If a filing office refuses to accept a record for filing, it shall communicate to the person that presented the record the fact of and reason for the refusal and the date and time the record would have been filed had the filing office accepted it. The communication must be made at the time and in the manner prescribed by filing-office rule but, in the case of a filing office described in ORS § 79.0501 (1)(b), in no event more than two business days after the filing office receives the record or, if the record is delivered by mail, four business days after the filing office receives the record.

(b) In the case of a refusal to accept a record under ORS § 79.0516 (2)(h), the filing office shall, within the period specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection, index the communication regarding the refusal and not the refused record. The communication must remain indexed for 20 days after the date of the communication unless, within the 20-day period, the secured party files a request for a hearing under subsection (5) of this section. If the secured party files a timely request for a hearing, the communication must remain indexed until the case is finally concluded.

(3) A filed financing statement satisfying ORS § 79.0502 (1) and (2) is effective, even if the filing office is required to refuse to accept it for filing under subsection (1) of this section. However, ORS § 79.0338 applies to a filed financing statement providing information described in ORS § 79.0516 (2)(e) which is incorrect at the time the financing statement is filed.

(4) If a record communicated to a filing office provides information that relates to more than one debtor, ORS § 79.0501 to 79.0528 apply as to each debtor separately.

(5)(a) If the filing office described in ORS § 79.0501 (1)(b) refuses to accept a record for filing under ORS § 79.0516 (2)(h), the secured party may contest the refusal by filing with the Secretary of State, within 20 days after the date of the communication regarding the refusal, a written request for a hearing before the Secretary of State. The request need not be in any particular form, but the secured party shall specify the grounds upon which the secured party considers the refusal unlawful and shall attach the record to the request.

(b) The Secretary of State may not grant a hearing unless a secured party files a request for a hearing within the period specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection. If a secured party files a timely request for a hearing, the Secretary of State shall hold a hearing in accordance with the applicable provisions of ORS Chapter 183.

(c) The Secretary of State may delegate to a hearing officer appointed by the Secretary of State all or part of the authority to conduct hearings under this subsection.

(d) If the Secretary of State or the hearing officer determines that the record should not have been refused, the filing office shall index the record as of the date the record was originally presented for filing.

(e) Final orders issued in a proceeding under this subsection are subject to review by the Court of Appeals as provided in ORS § 183.480 and 183.482. [2001 c.445 § 91; 2003 c.267 § 3]