(a) With respect to any state measure initiated or referred by petition, the chief petitioners; or

(b) With respect to a measure referred by the Legislative Assembly, the President of the Senate, who shall appoint a Senator, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall appoint a Representative.

(2) For each state measure to be submitted to the people at a special election held on the date of a primary election or any general election, a committee of five citizens shall be selected to prepare the explanatory statement under ORS 251.215.

(3) Not later than the 120th day before the election, the proponents of the measure shall appoint two members to the committee and notify the Secretary of State in writing of the selections. If the proponents do not appoint two members, the Secretary of State shall appoint two members of the committee from among supporters, if any, of the measure not later than the 118th day before the election.

(4) Not later than the 118th day before the election, the Secretary of State shall appoint two members of the committee from among the opponents, if any, of the measure.

(5) The four appointed members of the committee shall select the fifth member and notify the Secretary of State in writing of the selection. If the four members have not selected the fifth member by the 111th day before the election, the fifth member shall be appointed by the Secretary of State not later than the 109th day before the election.

(6) A vacancy shall be filled not later than two business days after the vacancy occurs by the person who made the original appointment. Unless the Secretary of State fills a vacancy, the person filling the vacancy shall notify the Secretary of State in writing of the selection.

(7) With respect to a measure referred by the Legislative Assembly, a Senator or Representative appointed under subsection (1) of this section may disclose whether the Senator or Representative supports or opposes the state measure. The Secretary of State shall print the disclosure in the voters’ pamphlet following the explanatory statement.

(8) The Legislative Policy and Research Committee shall provide any administrative staff assistance required by the explanatory statement committee to facilitate the work of the explanatory statement committee under this section or ORS 251.215.

(9) For purposes of this section, "measure" includes an initiative petition relating to a state measure that has been filed with the Secretary of State for the purpose of verifying signatures under ORS 250.105. The requirements of this section shall not apply to the petition if the secretary determines that the petition contains less than the required number of signatures of electors. [Formerly 254.210; 1987 c.707 §15; 1995 c.607 §§31,31a; 1999 c.844 §2; 2001 c.965 §9; 2011 c.646 §4; 2016 c.88 §12]