Oregon Secretary of State

Oregon Beach Bill Records

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Tom McCall and Bob Straub talk on an Oregon beach.
Governor Tom McCall (left) and State Treasurer Bob Straub were leading figures in the effort to protect public access to Oregon beaches.
Learn more about the history of Oregon's beaches >​
1967 HB 1601 Introduction

"One hundred years ago, an Oregon governor, Oswald West, engineered the first major protection of public access to the state's beaches, by cleverly convincing the 1913 legislature to declare all Oregon tidelands to be a state highway. However, a 1966 challenge exposed a flaw in the 1913 bill which technically protected only the wet sands as public. The Highway Department aimed to fix the loophole during the 1967 legislative session with House Bill 1601. The Oregon Beach Bill (1967 House Bill 1601) is a piece of landmark legislation passed by the 1967 session of the Oregon Legislature. It established public ownership of land along the Oregon Coast from the water up to sixteen vertical feet above the low tide mark.​​​​​​​"

​​Quote from Protecting Oregon Beaches Web Exhibit >​

Discussions relating to this bill took place in the House Highway and Senate Judiciary committees.​

1969 HB 1045 Introduction

Additional revisions to the Oregon Beach Bill were enacted in 1969 with House Bill 1045 at the request of the Interim Committee on Highways. Discussions relating to this bill took place in the House Highway, House Judiciary and Senate Judiciary committees.​




Records


​​1967 HB 1601 Minutes & Exhibits​

1967 HB 1601 Original Bill File​

1967 HB 1601 Sign & Enrolled Bill​

House Highway Committee March 1967 to May 1967​​

Senate Judiciary Committee May 26, 1967 - tape 11 side 1

Dissent and questions about HB 1601 and amendments 5-10-1967

Gov. McCall s statement regarding HB 1601 as adopted by House Hwy Committee 5-18-1967

Governor Tom McCall Administrative Correspondence folder 1

Governor Tom McCall Administrative Correspondence folder 2

Governor Tom McCall Administrative Correspondence folder 3

Governor Tom McCall Administrative Correspondence folder 4

Governor Tom McCall Administrative Correspondence folder 5

Governor Tom McCall Administrative Correspondence folder 6

Joint statement on amendments to Eng. HB 1601 5-15-1967 and other amendments

Letter from Herbert Frolander Assistant Dean of Research OSU to Gov. McCall 8-9-1967

Letter from House Representative Paul Hanneman to Gov. McCall 5-5-1967

Letter from Rep. James Redden House Minority Leader 5-12-1967

Letter from Robert Straub (Treasurer) to Sidney Bazett House Highway Chair

Letter to Ron Schmidt of Governors Office from Sidney Bazett House Hwy Chair 5-5-1967 RE Public Response

Letter to Sidney Bazett House Hwy Chair from Gov. McCall 5-4-1967

Petition of House Rep s for meeting with House Hwy Chair Sidney Bazett 5-12-1967 and amendments

Recommendation by Governor McCall for preservation of Oregon's beaches 5-11-1967

Statement by Governor McCall released 5-15-1967

Summary of Amendments to HB 1601 from Sidney Bazett House Hwy Chair to Gov McCall 5-10-1967

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