The filing period for “statements of economic interest” opens Friday, March 15. School board members, superintendents and other public officials have until April 15 to report key financial information.
A 2022 bill added school board members to an ethics law that covers more than 6,000 state and local positions. The law aims to create transparency about the interests of people who have influence over public money. The annual public filings detail household property interests, income sources and debts in the previous year but do not require amounts.
The Oregon Government Ethics Commission offers a 2024 guide to filing, including changes in the law. The commission also offers live online 60-minute training courses, starting Friday. Register online.
The law requires an SEI covering the previous year if a person holds their position as of April 15 of the current year. The law applies even if the person did not hold the position during the previous year.
Failure to file can lead to daily fines up to a total of $5,000.
– Jake Arnold, OSBA
jarnold@osba.org
