2023 Oregon Revised Statutes › Volume : 02 - Business Organizations, Commercial Code › Chapter 056 - Duties of Secretary of State › Section 56.206 - Reviews and investigations of complaints; conditions for review; notice; recommendations; report.

(1) In addition to the duties and responsibilities described in ORS 56.203, the Office of Small Business Assistance may, except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, conduct reviews and investigations of complaints received from small businesses with respect to interactions with state agencies.
(2) The office may not review and investigate a complaint under this section if the office determines that:
(a) The complainant could reasonably be expected to use, or is using, an alternative remedy or recourse for the complaint;
(b) The complaint relates to a matter outside the jurisdiction of the office;
(c) The complaint was delayed too long to justify review and investigation;
(d) The complainant does not have sufficient personal interest in, or is not personally aggrieved or affected by the subject matter of, the complaint;
(e) The complaint is trivial, frivolous, vexatious or not made in good faith;
(f) The resources of the office are insufficient for adequate review and investigation of the complaint;
(g) The review and investigation of other complaints take precedence over the review and investigation of the complaint; or
(h) The complaint is the subject of pending litigation, a pending contested case proceeding under ORS chapter 183 or an agency action that could result in a contested case proceeding under ORS chapter 183.
(3) The office shall notify a complainant as to whether the office will review and investigate the complaint within 30 days of receiving the complaint.
(4) If the office has undertaken a review and investigation of the complaint:
(a) Upon the complainant’s request, the office shall inform the complainant of the status of the review and investigation; and
(b) Upon conclusion of the review and investigation, the office shall:
(A) Inform the complainant of the office’s conclusions and recommendations; and
(B) Provide the complainant with a copy of the report prepared under subsection (6) of this section.
(5) The office may make recommendations to a state agency for resolution of a complaint made under this section and work with the agency to resolve the complaint. The office may also contact and discuss a complaint with the administrative head of any state agency, any state agency manager, the Governor or any member of the public for the purpose of obtaining the cooperation and assistance of a state agency with the complaint resolution process.
(6)(a) Upon completing the review and investigation of a complaint under this section, the office shall prepare a report containing the office’s conclusions and recommendations.
(b) Before finalizing, and providing copies of, the report prepared under this subsection, the office shall provide the state agency that is the subject of the report with a preliminary report.
(c) Upon receipt of the preliminary report, the state agency shall have not more than 15 days to comment on the report.
(d) If the state agency chooses to comment on the preliminary report, the final report shall include a section that contains the agency’s comments.
(e) The office shall provide copies of the final report prepared under this subsection to the Secretary of State. [2013 c.699 §4]