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Session Law (Oregon Laws) vs. Codes (Oregon Revised Statutes)

In response to the person who asked (in a Comment to this post ? and thank you for the question ? it is an excellent one!) the difference between a session law and a code, specifically between the ORS and the Oregon Laws, I offer this. It is about as brief a description as can be made, but it is followed by suggestions for further reading.

(Keep in mind, that this is interesting stuff to law librarians and not necessarily to others, so you can always visit your local law library to see and hear and not just read about these government publications. We love this stuff: a previous Washington D.C. tour highlight for a bunch of us law librarians was a visit to the office that prepares the U.S. Code (not to be confused with the session law, the U.S. Statutes at Large (also here) ? what can I say :-))

Oregon Laws: a chronological compilation of laws passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor. Published officially by Oregon in a set called, Oregon Laws.

Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS): The ORS is a subject compilation of the Laws of Oregon. (As you might imagine, a chronological compilation would become virtually useless in a very short time given subsequent amendments to and repeals of existing laws, in part and in full, thus, the creation of the ORS.)

See also the term codification.

Further reading:

ORS, Preface
ORS, Chapter 174
Oregon Legislature Citizen Guide, where hidden under the colorful heading (that may not link properly), Publication Descriptions, you will find this:

?Oregon Laws

A bound compilation of all session laws enacted and selected memorials and resolutions adopted during each regular or special session of the Legislative Assembly. Oregon Laws also contains measures referred by the Legislative Assembly or proposed by initiative petition and enacted by a vote of the people. Oregon Laws also includes tables of Senate and House bills enacted during the session and tables of "sections amended, repealed or added to" and a general index. Available online and in Legislative Counsel

Oregon Revised Statutes

A multi-volume set of Oregon statutes, codified by classification system of subjects that are of a "general, public and permanent nature." Oregon Revised Statutes includes the Oregon and United States Constitutions, a general index, comparative section tables and annotations. A new edition of Oregon Revised Statutes is published by the Legislative Counsel Committee after adjournment of each regular session of the Legislative Assembly.?

Full post as published by Oregon Legal Research on April 21, 2008 (boomark / email).