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Administrative Rules

Current Rules

The Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adopts administrative rules that affect staff members, inmates, and members of the public. These rules help the Department carry out statutory requirements and act in accordance with the Agency mission, to promote public safety. 

For a list of DOC rules please visit the Oregon Secretary of State.

The Oregon Administrative Rules Database (OARD) provides access to the official rules governing state agencies, including policies, procedures, and regulations. Use this resource to find up-to-date information on administrative rules that impact state operations and services.

Oregon Transparency Administrative Rules: Database reports, links and related Administrative Rules resources.

Proposed Rulemaking


The Department of Corrections filed Notices of Proposed Rulemaking for the following administrative rules. Proposed rulemaking includes rule changes that are under consideration but not yet adopted. All Agency rulemaking notices are published by the Secretary of State in the Oregon Bulletin. 

The Department welcomes comments on proposed rules. When submitting comments, please be sure to include the division number and title of the proposed rule. Written comments may be submitted using the Submit a Comment link in the menu on the left side of the screen.

Recently Adopted Rules

​OVERVIEW


Within the inherent limitations of resources and the need for facility security, safety, health, order, discipline, and adult in custody rehabilitation, it is the policy of the Department of Corrections to permit adults in custody to send and receive mail in the manner, and under the circumstances, set forth in OAR 291-131.

Changes to administrative rules under OAR 291-131 have been adopted and are effective January 13, 2025. The purpose of these rules is to establish Department of Corrections policy and procedures governing the sending, receipt, and processing of AIC mail in Department of Corrections facilities.​

Changes to OAR 291-131 include:

  • Add a new rule that aligns these administrative rules with statutory requirements for the processing of adult in custody mail with the Corrections Ombudsman;
  • Remove gendered language and add clarifying language and language for consistency with other department rules;
  • Change the term "inmate" to "adult in custody";
  • Make minor grammatical and punctuation edits; and
  • Limit the type of envelopes, paper, and the use of certain materials related to incoming mail.


CURRENT STATUS


The final rule language was approved by the Department of Corrections Deputy Director and a Permanent Administrative Order was filed with the Secretary of State on December 20, 2024, with an effective date for the rule of January 13, 2025.

Final Rule Language and Related Materials


PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD



​OAR 291-157 Release Funds

Overview:

These rules ensure adults in custody have access to basic financial support upon release. The main objective for this update was to remove the set amount for release funds and discontinue the accompanying obsolete process. Additional revisions to OAR 291-157:

  • Clarified rules;
  • Made minor grammatical changes or changes to titles;
  • Updated statutory citations;
  • Changed the term "inmate" to "adult in custody";
  • Removed gendered language;
  • Updated, added, or clarified definitions; and
  • Updated and further defined the process.

Current Status:

The final rule language was approved by the Department of Corrections Director, and a Permanent Administrative Order was filed with the Secretary of State on July 3, 2025, with an effective date of July 3, 2025.

Final Rule Language and Related Materials

Public Comment Period:

A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was filed with the Secretary of State on April 29, 2025. The public comment period was open from April 29, 2025, through June 19, 2025. No comments were received.

​OAR 291-131 Mail (AIC) TEMP

Temporary Administrative Order

Temporary Administrative Order Tracked Changes​

The Department of Corrections' Division 131 rules establish department policy and procedures governing the sending, receipt, and processing of adult in custody mail in Department of Corrections facilities.

A Temporary Administrative Order was approved by the Department of Corrections Director on July 3, 2025 and filed for OAR 291-131 Mail (AIC). These temporary amendments are effective July 3, 2025 through December 29, 2025 and are needed to:

(1) Remove the “20-pound" weight restriction on envelopes and move to a “standard weight" restriction, because many in the public have been confused by the “20-pound" weight restriction and white envelopes that meet that criteria are not widely available;

(2) Clarify the definitions and dispositions of mail that is refused (in other words, returned unopened for non-compliance with the Division 131 rules) and mail that is rejected (in other words, returned upon opening and inspection for non-compliance with the Division 131 rules);

(3) Clarify that business cards are unauthorized enclosures and that certain kinds of writing materials are not allowed, because they can be used to smuggle controlled substances into Department of Corrections facilities; and

(4) Clarify that legal or official mail may include a single, postage-paid return envelope that meets the Division 131 rules' criteria, to facilitate return mail in legal and official matters and to bring the department's rules in line with its practices.

The Department of Corrections finds that following the permanent rulemaking process, rather than taking this temporary rulemaking action to remove unnecessary restrictions and clarify for the public and AICs what is (and is not) permitted in incoming mail, will result in serious prejudice to the public interest because the department's failure to immediately amend its Division 131 rules will result in:

(1) Continued refusal of incoming mail sent to AICs that the department has determined could otherwise be allowed consistent with the inherent limitations of resources and the need for facility security, safety, health, order, and discipline, and AIC rehabilitation;

(2) Continued confusion among members of public regarding the types of envelopes and writing materials that may be used to send mail to AIC;

(3) Continued receipt in the mail of types of envelopes, writing materials and business cards that may be used to seek to introduce controlled substances and other contraband into Department of Corrections facilities;

(4) Continued confusion among AICs and members of the public regarding the department's rules governing disposition of unopened (versus opened) mail that violates the rules; and

(5) Seriously hinder the department's ability to provide for a consistent statewide framework and structure for processing AIC mail.


​OAR 291-037 Release of Public Records TEMP

Temporary Administrative Order

Temporary Administrative Order Tracked Changes

The Department of Corrections' Division 037 rules establish department policy and procedures governing the submission and processing of requests of the department for public records.

A Temporary Administrative Order was approved by the Department of Corrections Director on July 3, 2025, and filed for OAR 291-037-0015 Requests for Department Public Records. These temporary amendments are effective July 7, 2025 through January 2, 2026 and are needed to establish and guide requesters, other than adults in custody, to a new online public records portal linked on the existing DOC website for making and communicating with the Department of Corrections regarding requests of the department for public records, receiving statutorily-required responses and communications from the department, and for receiving copies of public records – all from one web-based location using the internet.

The Department of Corrections finds that following the permanent rulemaking process, rather than taking this temporary rulemaking action, will result in serious prejudice to the public interest because the department's failure to promptly amend OAR 291-037-0015 will prevent the department from immediately:

(1) Adopting and making available to the public a new streamlined and modern web-based process for making and communicating with the Department of Corrections regarding requests of the department for public records, receiving statutorily-required responses and communications from the department, and for receiving copies of public records – all from one web-based location using the internet;

(2) Providing the public with improved response times to their requests of the department for public records; and

(3) Benefiting from improved capabilities and efficiencies, including improved identification of redundancies and program analytics, that the new online public records portal and associated vendor software and services will provide for the department and the public.​



Rulemaking Calendar

This is the Oregon Transparency Public Meeting Calendar, which publishes public meetings for state agencies, boards, commissions, or Education Service District (ESD). Searches by agency, board, commission, branch, meeting title, date, and source is available on legend tools on the top right of the calendar. Access to chart and summary views is available on the legend tools found on the bottom left of the calendar.

Department of Corrections meetings will be clearly labeled beginning with 'DOC'. At this time, there are no scheduled rulemaking events. Updates will be posted here as soon as they become available.