Oregon Law
Law as of Jan 1, 2026
Chapter contents
174.010General rule for construction of statutes 174.020Legislative intent; general and particular provisions; consideration of legislative history 174.030Construction favoring natural right to prevail 174.040Severability 174.050[Repealed by 1983 c.740 §41] 174.060Effect of amendment of statute adopted by reference 174.070Effect of repeal of validating or curative Act 174.080Effect of repeal of repealing Act 174.090Effect of repeal of repealing constitutional provision 174.100Definitions 174.101“Manufactured structure,” “recreational vehicle” defined 174.102“Agricultural commodity,” “agricultural product” defined; harvesting or baling of straw as farming practice 174.103[1987 c.162 §§1,2; 1989 c.264 §1; 2001 c.90 §1; repealed by 2003 c.242 §7] 174.104“Public notice” defined 174.105[1967 c.409 §2; 2005 c.22 §122; repealed by 2009 c.41 §26] 174.106[2001 c.783 §1; repealed by 2009 c.11 §15] 174.107“Person with a disability” defined 174.108Effect of definitions 174.109“Public body” defined 174.110[Renumbered 174.127 in 2001] 174.111“State government” defined 174.112“Executive department” defined 174.113“Judicial department” defined 174.114“Legislative department” defined 174.115[1979 c.391 §1; renumbered 174.129 in 2001] 174.116“Local government” and “local service district” defined 174.117“Special government body” defined 174.118Application of definitions to ORS 174.108 to 174.118 174.120Computation of time; leap year 174.125Computation of time period for personal service 174.127Singular or plural number; masculine, feminine or neuter gender 174.129Statutes, rules and orders to use sex-neutral terms 174.130Majority can exercise authority given jointly 174.140Construction of “a surety” or similar words 174.150[1957 c.146 §1; repealed by 1969 c.292 §3] 174.160Mailing methods authorized in place of notice by registered or certified mail 174.170Notice by personal service equivalent to notice by mail 174.510Statute revision of 1953 enacted as law; Oregon Revised Statutes; citation 174.515Duplicate original of 1953 revision; evidentiary effect 174.520General statutes enacted prior to January 12, 1953, repealed; exceptions 174.530Construction of statutes enacted as part of 1953 revision 174.535Construction of reviser’s bills 174.540Parts of printed statute editions not part of the law 174.550Statute revision of 1953 substituted for statutes repealed by ORS 174.520 174.560[1953 c.3 §8; repealed by 1961 c.90 §7] 174.580Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure; citation form 174.590Statutory terminology not intended to preserve procedural distinctions between actions and suits

Chapter 174 — Construction of Statutes; General Definitions

ORS 174.116 “Local government” and “local service district” defined

(1)(a)

Subject to ORS 174.108, as used in the statutes of this state “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.

(b)

Subject to ORS 174.108, as used in the statutes of this state “local government” includes:

(A)

An entity created by statute, ordinance or resolution for the purpose of giving advice only to a local government;

(B)

An entity created by local government for the purpose of giving advice to local government and that is not created by ordinance or resolution, if the document creating the entity indicates that the entity is a public body; and

(C)

Any entity created by local government other than an entity described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, unless the ordinance, resolution or other document creating the entity indicates that the entity is not a governmental entity or the entity is not subject to any substantial control by local government.

(2)

Subject to ORS 174.108, as used in the statutes of this state “local service district” means:

(a)

An economic improvement district created under ORS 223.112 to 223.132 or 223.141 to 223.161.

(b)

A people’s utility district organized under ORS chapter 261.

(c)

A domestic water supply district organized under ORS chapter 264.

(d)

A cemetery maintenance district organized under ORS chapter 265.

(e)

A park and recreation district organized under ORS chapter 266.

(f)

A mass transit district organized under ORS 267.010 to 267.394.

(g)

A transportation district organized under ORS 267.510 to 267.650.

(h)

A metropolitan service district organized under ORS chapter 268.

(i)

A translator district organized under ORS 354.605 to 354.715.

(j)

A library district organized under ORS 357.216 to 357.286.

(k)

A county road district organized under ORS 371.055 to 371.110.

(L)

A special road district organized under ORS 371.305 to 371.360.

(m)

A road assessment district organized under ORS 371.405 to 371.535.

(n)

A highway lighting district organized under ORS chapter 372.

(o)

A 9-1-1 communications district organized under ORS 403.300 to 403.380.

(p)

A health district organized under ORS 440.305 to 440.410.

(q)

A sanitary district organized under ORS 450.005 to 450.245.

(r)

A sanitary authority, water authority or joint water and sanitary authority organized under ORS 450.600 to 450.989.

(s)

A county service district organized under ORS chapter 451.

(t)

A vector control district organized under ORS 452.020 to 452.170.

(u)

A rural fire protection district organized under ORS chapter 478.

(v)

A geothermal heating district organized under ORS chapter 523.

(w)

An irrigation district organized under ORS chapter 545.

(x)

A drainage district organized under ORS chapter 547.

(y)

A diking district organized under ORS chapter 551.

(z)

A water improvement district organized under ORS chapter 552.

(aa)

A water control district organized under ORS chapter 553.

(bb)

A district improvement company or a district improvement corporation organized under ORS chapter 554.

(cc)

A weather modification district organized under ORS 558.200 to 558.440.

(dd)

A fair district formed under ORS chapter 565.

(ee)

A soil and water conservation district organized under ORS 568.210 to 568.808 and 568.900 to 568.933.

(ff)

A weed control district organized under ORS 569.350 to 569.445.

(gg)

A port organized under ORS 777.005 to 777.725 and 777.915 to 777.953.

(hh)

The Port of Portland created under ORS 778.010.

(ii)

An airport district established under ORS chapter 838.

(jj)

A heritage district organized under ORS 358.442 to 358.474.

(kk)

A radio and data district organized under ORS 403.500 to 403.542.

(LL)

A sand control district organized under ORS 555.500 to 555.535.

(mm)

The urban flood safety and water quality district created under ORS 550.150 to 550.410.

Official sources · 2Tap to view provenance and version history

Online copy of the published ORS edition

Provenance

Version history

Earlier statutory text is available in an ingested published ORS edition.