ORS 260.995 Civil penalties

Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, following an investigation under ORS 260.345, the Secretary of State or Attorney General may impose a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 for each violation of any provision of Oregon Revised Statutes relating to the conduct of any election, any rule adopted by the secretary under ORS chapters 246 to 260 or any other matter preliminary to or relating to an election, for which a civil penalty is not otherwise provided.

The secretary or the Attorney General may impose a civil penalty not to exceed:

Except as provided in subparagraph

of this paragraph, $1,000 plus the amount converted to personal use for each violation of ORS 260.407;

Two times the amount of the penalty provision for violating a nondisclosure agreement that is contained within each nondisclosure agreement entered into in violation of ORS 260.407 or 260.413;

150 percent of the total cost of printing, transmitting or distributing a communication in support of or in opposition to a clearly identified candidate if the disclosure requirements set forth in ORS 260.266 are not met; or

$10,000 for each violation of ORS 260.555, 260.558, 260.575, 260.695 (1) or (2) or 260.715 (1) or Article IV, section 1b, of the Oregon Constitution.

Except as otherwise provided by this section, civil penalties under this section shall be imposed as provided in ORS 183.745. In addition to the requirements of ORS 183.745, the notice shall include:

A statement of the authority and jurisdiction under which the hearing is to be held; and

If the person is an agency, corporation or an unincorporated association, a statement that such person must be represented by an attorney licensed in Oregon, unless the person is a political committee which may be represented by any officer identified in the most recent statement of organization filed with the filing officer.

A hearing on whether to impose a civil penalty and to consider circumstances in mitigation shall be held by the secretary or Attorney General:

Upon request of the person against whom the penalty may be assessed, if the request is made not later than the 20th day after the service date on the notice sent under subsection (3) of this section; or

Upon the secretary’s or Attorney General’s own motion.

The person against whom a penalty may be assessed need not appear in person at a hearing held under this section, but instead may submit written testimony or other evidence, sworn to before a notary public, to the secretary or Attorney General for entry in the hearing record. The testimony or other evidence must be received by the secretary or Attorney General not later than three business days before the day of the hearing and may be submitted electronically.

All hearings under this section shall be held not later than 45 days after the deadline for the person against whom the penalty may be assessed to request a hearing. However, if requested by the person against whom the penalty may be assessed, a hearing

under subsection (4) of this section shall be held not later than 60 days after the deadline for the person against whom the penalty may be assessed to request a hearing.

The secretary or Attorney General shall issue an order not later than 90 days after a hearing or after the deadline for requesting a hearing if no hearing is held.

All penalties recovered under this section shall be paid into the State Treasury and credited to the General Fund.

In the case of a civil penalty imposed under this section for a violation of ORS 260.407, the person against whom the penalty is assessed:

Is personally responsible for the payment of the civil penalty;

Shall pay the civil penalty from personal funds of the person; and

May not pay the civil penalty from contributions received by a candidate, a candidate’s principal campaign committee, a political committee or a petition committee.