ORS 131A.455 Asset Forfeiture Oversight Advisory Committee

The Asset Forfeiture Oversight Advisory Committee is created. The committee consists of 10 members to be appointed as follows:

The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint four legislators to the committee. Two shall be Senators appointed by the President. Two shall be Representatives appointed by the Speaker.

The Governor shall appoint three members to the committee.

The Attorney General shall appoint three members to the committee.

The term of a legislative member of the committee shall be two years. The term of all other members shall be four years. Members of the committee may be reappointed. If a vacancy occurs on the committee for any reason during the term of membership, the official who appointed the member to the vacant position shall appoint a new member to serve the remainder of the term. A member of the committee may be removed from the committee at any time by the official who appointed the member.

The members of the committee shall select from among themselves a chairperson and vice chairperson.

The committee shall meet at such times and places as determined by the chairperson.

Legislative members shall be entitled to payment of compensation and expense reimbursement under ORS 171.072, payable from funds appropriated to the Legislative Assembly.

The committee shall:

Prepare reports detailing the number and nature of forfeitures carried out under this chapter and ORS 131.550 to 131.600, including the disposition and use of the proceeds from the forfeitures. The reports shall be submitted on or before April 30 of each year to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, President of the Senate, Attorney General and Governor.

In consultation with forfeiture counsel, review and, if necessary, modify the reports required from forfeiture counsel and public bodies to ensure that information necessary for oversight is being obtained and is gathered in an efficient and effective manner.

Make any recommendations it deems necessary to increase the effectiveness, fairness and efficiency of forfeiture actions brought under this chapter and ORS 131.550 to 131.600.

Make any recommendations for additional legislation governing forfeiture actions brought under this chapter and ORS 131.550 to 131.600.

Conduct studies or other activities as necessary to accomplish the purposes of this subsection.

The executive director of the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission shall provide the committee with staff, subject to funds available for that purpose.

For purposes of this section, “forfeiture counsel” includes forfeiture counsel as defined in ORS 131.550.