HB 4152
Plain-language analysis
Generated analysis, not an official summary or legal advice. Confirm with linked Oregon documents.
The enrolled bill authorizes active-duty U.S. service members in Oregon to apply for marriage licenses electronically and solemnize marriages remotely via video conference when unable to be physically present due to active duty. County clerks are prohibited from denying licenses solely based on the service member's absence, and judicial officers may waive solemnization fees. The measure creates a narrow statutory exception to Oregon’s standard physical presence requirements for marriage applications and ceremonies.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
Official sources do not state why this measure was proposed.
Sponsor testimony, staff summaries, committee materials, or statutory findings may explain it.
Inferred from cited text; not a stated purpose.
To eliminate administrative and geographic barriers for deployed military personnel by explicitly authorizing electronic license applications and remote judicial solemnization, while restricting the remote ceremony option to court officials to preserve legal oversight.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Enrolled; Staff Measure Summary A
Can apply for and solemnize marriages remotely without physical presence, expanding access to Oregon marriage laws while deployed.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
Must accept electronic applications and cannot refuse licenses based on a service member's absence due to active duty, requiring procedural updates.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
May conduct remote marriages via video technology for qualifying service members and have discretion to waive solemnization fees, adding administrative duties.
Basis: Bill text · Source: Enrolled
Service members gain the ability to initiate and complete marriage proceedings without travel or leave. Clerks must update intake systems to process electronic signatures and verify active-duty status per existing standards. Judges must ensure remote identity verification and witness compliance align with ORS 106.150(1). The measure carries minimal fiscal impact, though fee waivers may slightly reduce judicial department revenue.
Basis: Bill text · Sources: Enrolled; Fiscal Impact Statement A
Active-duty U.S. Armed Forces service members
A service member deployed overseas on short notice legally marries their partner in Oregon via secure video link with a judge, immediately securing state residency benefits, inheritance rights, and military spouse entitlements without requiring emergency leave or travel.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Enrolled
Active-duty U.S. Armed Forces service members
A service member under duress or coercion is forced into a marriage remotely while isolated in a deployment zone, with limited immediate recourse due to the absence of physical oversight during the ceremony.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Enrolled
The text legally permits remote solemnization by judicial officers for deployed personnel. Weak enforcement or misclassification could allow non-service members to falsely claim active-duty status to bypass standard marriage licensing requirements (e.g., waiting periods, in-person verification), potentially facilitating fraudulent marriages or immigration fraud. The law does not mandate specific identity-verification protocols beyond existing statutory compliance.
Sources · Enrolled
Expands access and administrative flexibility for deployed military personnel at the cost of reduced physical oversight during marriage proceedings, relying entirely on judicial discretion and remote verification to prevent coercion or fraud. Upsides include immediate legal recognition for isolated service members; downsides include heightened vulnerability to coercion and potential misuse by non-qualifying applicants.
Immediate legal recognition for isolated service members.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Enrolled
Heightened vulnerability to coercion and potential misuse by non-qualifying applicants.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Enrolled
The enrolled text aligns substantively with the House Amendments version. The primary change is structural: the enrolled bill formalizes the committee amendment into numbered statutory sections (ORS 106.x) with explicit definitions, whereas the previous version presented the language as a direct line-by-line replacement. No material policy shift, expanded eligibility, or altered enforcement mechanism occurred between versions.
Structural reformatting into statutory sections with defined terms.
Neutral; improves legal clarity without altering substantive obligations.
Sources · Enrolled; House Amendments to Introduced
Tradeoff: None.
high confidence. Analysis is grounded exclusively in the enrolled bill text, official fiscal/revenue statements, and committee staff summaries. No legislative intent or external events are assumed.
Possible effects if adopted; not current bill text.
If adopted, the amendment would explicitly authorize active-duty service members to sign marriage license applications electronically when unable to appear in person due to active service, and would prohibit county clerks from denying licenses solely on that basis. The material consequence is the standardization of remote application processing across Oregon counties, eliminating inconsistent local practices that currently require physical presence despite state law not mandating it.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -2 — proposed amendment; Introduced
Official sources do not state why this measure was proposed.
Sponsor testimony, staff summaries, committee materials, or statutory findings may explain it.
Inferred from cited text; not a stated purpose.
Lawmakers likely sought to resolve administrative friction by explicitly validating digital signatures for military applicants, ensuring uniform county compliance where current practice varies.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -2 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
Would gain explicit statutory authority to complete marriage license applications remotely via electronic signature when absent due to active service, removing geographic and deployment barriers.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -2 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
Would be required to accept electronic signatures and cannot deny applications based on a service member's military absence, standardizing a previously inconsistent local practice.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -2 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
Would be permitted to solemnize marriages for absent service members via communication technology and would have explicit authority to waive solemnization fees under ORS 106.120.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -2 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
County clerks would need to update intake procedures and IT systems to process electronic signatures for military applicants.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -2 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
Judicial officers would need to establish protocols for identity verification using communication devices, as noted in committee discussions.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Staff Measure Summary A
The measure carries minimal fiscal impact on state or local expenditures, though counties may incur minor administrative adjustments to accommodate electronic processing.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Fiscal Impact Statement INTRO; Fiscal Impact Statement A
Eligibility for remote application processing would remain strictly tied to active-duty status and inability to appear due to service obligations.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -2 — proposed amendment
Active-duty U.S. Armed Forces service members (including National Guard)
A service member stationed on a deployed vessel or in a restricted overseas zone completes the entire marriage license application and solemnization process electronically without requesting leave, avoiding significant travel costs and operational disruption.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -2 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
Judicial officers and county clerks
A judicial officer fails to adequately verify identity through communication technology due to lack of training, resulting in a legally valid but factually fraudulent marriage record that complicates future benefits or custody proceedings.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -2 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
The distinction rests on the explicit statutory limitation to active-duty status and military absence; any expansion beyond that scope would exceed the measure's legal authority.
Sources · Amendment -2 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
The measure trades strict in-person administrative verification for expanded remote access for military personnel, balancing operational convenience against the need for rigorous identity authentication and uniform county compliance.
Eliminates deployment-related barriers to marriage licensing for service members.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -2 — proposed amendment
Reduces administrative friction and inconsistent local denial practices across counties.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Staff Measure Summary A
Requires judicial officers to develop and maintain reliable remote identity verification protocols.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Staff Measure Summary A
Creates potential for misapplication or duty creep if definitions of "active service" or "communication technology" are loosely enforced.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -2 — proposed amendment
high confidence. Analysis is grounded in the explicit amendment text, staff summaries, and fiscal statements provided. Inferences are clearly labeled and bounded by the supplied documents.
If adopted, the amendment would restructure existing Oregon law to explicitly permit active-duty service members to sign marriage license applications electronically and prohibit county clerks from denying licenses solely due to the member’s absence from physical presence during deployment. This change would legally enable remote marriage processing for military personnel while shifting verification responsibilities to judicial officers for solemnization.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
Official sources do not state why this measure was proposed.
Sponsor testimony, staff summaries, committee materials, or statutory findings may explain it.
Inferred from cited text; not a stated purpose.
The amendment targets parties unable to submit applications by reason of active service and explicitly adds electronic signing capability. The measure likely aims to remove logistical barriers for deployed military personnel who cannot physically visit county offices due to operational constraints.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
Can apply for and sign marriage licenses electronically without traveling to Oregon; may marry remotely via a judge.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
Must accept electronic signatures and cannot deny applications based on physical absence; must process licenses under the revised rule.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
May solemnize marriages remotely using communication technology and have discretion to waive solemnization fees.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Staff Measure Summary A; Staff Measure Summary A
Clerks must adapt administrative workflows to accept electronic submissions for military applicants. Judicial officers gain authority to conduct remote solemnizations and waive fees, requiring them to establish or follow identity verification protocols for remote appearances.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
The change eliminates travel costs and deployment-related delays for service members seeking marriage in Oregon, with legislative revenue and fiscal offices noting minimal to no impact on state or local expenditures.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Fiscal Impact Statement INTRO; Fiscal Impact Statement A
Active-duty U.S. Armed Forces service members
A service member stationed overseas legally marries their partner in Oregon without taking leave, avoiding significant travel expenses and operational disruptions while maintaining full legal recognition of the marriage.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
Oregon judicial officers
A judicial officer fails to adequately verify identity through a compromised video link, resulting in a fraudulent marriage license being issued, which later complicates divorce, inheritance, or immigration proceedings.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Staff Measure Summary A
The amendment does not authorize clerks or judges to bypass standard identity verification requirements or waive witness/consent rules. The risk stems from duty creep or misclassification rather than the text itself.
Sources · Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
The measure streamlines marriage access for deployed military personnel by removing physical presence barriers, but it shifts verification burdens onto judicial officers and relies on communication technology that may be vulnerable to identity fraud or technical failure.
Eliminates deployment-related travel costs and administrative delays for service members seeking marriage in Oregon.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Fiscal Impact Statement INTRO
Provides judicial officers with explicit statutory authority to waive solemnization fees, reducing financial barriers for military applicants.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Staff Measure Summary A
Shifts identity verification responsibilities to judicial officers without prescribing standardized remote verification protocols.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Staff Measure Summary A
Relies on communication technology that may experience latency, connectivity loss, or security vulnerabilities during solemnization.
Basis: Inferred · Source: Introduced
high confidence. Analysis is grounded exclusively in the supplied proposed amendment, staff summaries, and fiscal statements. No enacted status or external speculation is asserted.
The amendment explicitly authorizes active-duty U.S. Armed Forces members to electronically sign marriage license applications when unable to appear in person due to active service, and prohibits county clerks from denying licenses solely based on physical absence. If adopted, it removes a practical barrier for deployed personnel seeking to marry in Oregon without requiring travel or leave, aligning the application process with the measure’s separate provisions for remote solemnization.
Basis: Official analysis · Sources: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A; Introduced
Official sources do not state why this measure was proposed.
Sponsor testimony, staff summaries, committee materials, or statutory findings may explain it.
Inferred from cited text; not a stated purpose.
The amendment likely addresses administrative inconsistency where some counties required in-person submission despite state law not mandating it, by explicitly authorizing electronic signatures to align the application process with the bill’s remote solemnization provisions.
Basis: Inferred · Sources: Staff Measure Summary A; Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Gain the ability to apply for and sign marriage licenses electronically while deployed or stationed away from Oregon, without needing physical presence.
Basis: Official analysis · Sources: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Introduced
Must accept electronic signatures for qualifying applications and cannot deny them solely due to physical absence; must adapt verification procedures for military status and remote signing.
Basis: Official analysis · Sources: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
Benefit from a streamlined application process that aligns with the bill’s separate provisions allowing remote solemnization by judicial officers with waived fees.
Basis: Official analysis · Sources: Staff Measure Summary A; Introduced
Clerks must process e-signed applications from deployed members and verify active service status, though no specific verification method is mandated.
Basis: Official analysis · Sources: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
Minimal fiscal impact on state and local governments; eliminates travel costs for service members.
Basis: Official analysis · Sources: Fiscal Impact Statement INTRO; Fiscal Impact Statement A
Expands eligibility to deployed personnel previously blocked by county-level in-person requirements.
Basis: Official analysis · Sources: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Staff Measure Summary A
Relies on clerk compliance and potential future administrative rules defining acceptable e-signature standards or military status verification.
Basis: Official analysis · Source: Staff Measure Summary A
Significantly improves access for deployed personnel seeking to marry in Oregon without leave or travel.
Basis: Official analysis · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
Inconsistent county practices may arise if clerks lack clear guidance on verifying active-duty status or validating remote signatures.
Basis: Official analysis · Source: Staff Measure Summary A
Active-duty U.S. Armed Forces members (including National Guard)
A service member stationed overseas during a critical deployment window successfully marries their partner in Oregon entirely remotely via electronic signature and video solemnization, avoiding months of leave delays and thousands in travel expenses while maintaining legal marital status for benefits.
Basis: Official analysis · Sources: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Introduced
Oregon county clerks
An individual falsely claims active-duty status to bypass standard in-person identity verification requirements, successfully obtaining a marriage license through an unverified electronic process, which is later exploited for fraudulent benefit claims or bigamy investigations.
Basis: Official analysis · Source: Amendment -1 — proposed amendment
The amendment modifies Oregon marriage license application requirements; it incorporates federal/military definitions by reference but remains an Oregon-law change.
Sources · Amendment -1 — proposed amendment; Introduced
Expands marriage access for deployed service members by removing physical presence barriers while requiring county clerks to manage remote identity and status verification without explicit statutory protocols.
Reduced travel costs, administrative alignment with remote solemnization, and support for military families.
Basis: Official analysis · Source: Staff Measure Summary A
Potential for fraudulent status claims, inconsistent clerk practices, and unmandated verification burdens on local offices.
Basis: Official analysis · Source: Staff Measure Summary A
high confidence. The amendment text and official fiscal/revenue statements are explicit. Staff summaries provide clear operational context. No conflicting versions or enacted language complicate the analysis.
34 records currently loaded
Records available in the current snapshot.
Earliest loaded signal
Introduced bill text posted
Posted Jan 28, 2026, 3:25 PM PST
Follow the official text for HB 4152 and every amendment branch. Connections come from each amendment's stated base. Horizontal position shows when each document was first posted, when available.
Click a card to isolate its connected lines; use View summary to jump to its details. Horizontal position shows first posting time in Pacific Time. Drag or use the arrow keys to pan. Pinch with two fingers on mobile, or zoom with the controls, +/− keys, or Control/Command + scroll; press 0 to reset. Dashed branches remained proposals.
Selected document summary
Targeted changes
No deeper official pre-number history was found.
Chief sponsors: Representative Mari Watanabe, Senator James Manning Jr.
Regular sponsors: House Majority Leader Ben Bowman, Representative David Gomberg, Representative Shannon Isadore, Representative Rob Nosse, Representative Gregory Smith, Representative Lamar Wise, Senator Lew Frederick, Senator Sara Gelser Blouin, Senator Mark Meek, Representative Tom Andersen, Representative Sue Rieke Smith, Representative Paul Evans, Representative Alek Skarlatos, Representative Travis Nelson, Senator Janeen Sollman
House carrier
Representative Mari Watanabe
Third Reading Of House Bills · Version A
Senate carrier
Senator Courtney Neron Misslin
Third Reading Of House Measures · Version A
A carrier presents the measure or report but is not necessarily its sponsor or author.
Records already listed in Activity are not repeated here.
Official origin records are incomplete; missing facts are not inferred.
No meaningful relationship to Yex Labs LLC was found in the supplied artifact.
74% confidence · deterministic fallback
34 events
Full timeline
34 entries shown.
Chapter 20, (2026 Laws): Effective date January 1, 2027.
Governor signed.
President signed.
Speaker signed.
Third reading. Carried by Neron Misslin. Passed.
Ayes, 25; Nays, 3--Linthicum, Robinson, Weber; Excused, 2--Frederick, Hayden.
Second reading.
Recommendation: Do pass the A-Eng. bill.
Public Hearing and Work Session held.
Public Hearing Cancelled.
Referred to Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs.
First reading. Referred to President's desk.
Rules suspended. Third reading. Carried by Watanabe. Passed.
Ayes, 57; Nays, 1--Yunker; Excused, 2--McIntire, Valderrama.
Second reading.
House Amendments to Introduced bill text posted
Recommendation: Do pass with amendments and be printed A-Engrossed.
Work Session held.
IS_Impact HB 4152 2
Revenue Impact Statement
Amendment -2 adopted
IS_Impact HB 4152 1
Revenue Impact Statement
Amendment -1 proposed
Amendment -1 proposed
IS_Impact HB 4152 INTRO
Revenue Impact Statement
Public Hearing held.
Referred to Emergency Management and Veterans.
First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
“Digest: The Act lets deployed people get married even if they cannot be there in person if certain criteria are met. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.6). Modifies provisions regarding solemnization of marriage to permit deployed service members to be married remotely. .”
Oregon updates this record in place. This page uses the latest text; an exact original snapshot is unavailable.
Confirm with the official record.
Supplemental, source-linked analysis from project researchers and community contributors. It is separate from Oregon's official record.