Terms Used In Oregon Statutes > Chapter 244 > General Provisions

• Business: means any corporation, partnership, proprietorship, firm, enterprise, franchise, association, organization, self-employed individual and any other legal entity operated for economic gain but excluding any income-producing not-for-profit corporation that is tax exempt under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code with which a public official or a relative of the public official is associated only as a member or board director or in a nonremunerative capacity. See Oregon Statutes 244.020
• Candidate: means an individual for whom a declaration of candidacy, nominating petition or certificate of nomination to public office has been filed or whose name is printed on a ballot or is expected to be or has been presented, with the individual's consent, for nomination or election to public office. See Oregon Statutes 244.020
• City: includes any incorporated village or town. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• First Partner: means the spouse or domestic partner of the Governor, or an individual who primarily has a personal relationship with the Governor as determined by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission by rule. See Oregon Statutes 244.020
• Gift: means something of economic value given to a public official, a candidate or a relative or member of the household of the public official or candidate:

  (A) Without valuable consideration of equivalent value, including the full or partial forgiveness of indebtedness, which is not extended to others who are not public officials or candidates or the relatives or members of the household of public officials or candidates on the same terms and conditions; or

  (B) For valuable consideration less than that required from others who are not public officials or candidates. See Oregon Statutes 244.020

• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Honorarium: means a payment or something of economic value given to a public official in exchange for services upon which custom or propriety prevents the setting of a price. See Oregon Statutes 244.020
• Income: means income of any nature derived from any source, including, but not limited to, any salary, wage, advance, payment, dividend, interest, rent, honorarium, return of capital, forgiveness of indebtedness, or anything of economic value. See Oregon Statutes 244.020
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• Legislative or administrative interest: means an economic interest, distinct from that of the general public, in:

  (a) Any matter subject to the decision or vote of the public official acting in the public official's capacity as a public official; or

  (b) Any matter that would be subject to the decision or vote of the candidate who, if elected, would be acting in the capacity of a public official. See Oregon Statutes 244.020

• local government: means all cities, counties and local service districts located in this state, and all administrative subdivisions of those cities, counties and local service districts. See Oregon Statutes 174.116
• Member of the household: means any person who resides with the public official or candidate. See Oregon Statutes 244.020
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Planning commission: means a county planning commission created under ORS Chapter 215 or a city planning commission created under ORS Chapter 227. See Oregon Statutes 244.020
• public body: means state government bodies, local government bodies and special government bodies. See Oregon Statutes 174.109
• Public office: has the meaning given that term in ORS § 260. See Oregon Statutes 244.020
• Public official: means the First Partner and any person who, when an alleged violation of this chapter occurs, is serving the State of Oregon or any of its political subdivisions or any other public body as defined in ORS § 174. See Oregon Statutes 244.020
• special government body: means any of the following:

  (a) A public corporation created under a statute of this state and specifically designated as a public corporation. See Oregon Statutes 174.117

• state government: means the executive department, the judicial department and the legislative department. See Oregon Statutes 174.111
• Statement of economic interest: means a statement as described by ORS § 244. See Oregon Statutes 244.020
• United States: includes territories, outlying possessions and the District of Columbia. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Uphold: The decision of an appellate court not to reverse a lower court decision.