Oregon Revised Statutes State Legislative Department and Laws § 173.215

(1) The expiration of the terms of members of the Legislative Counsel Committee, as provided by ORS 173.191, does not affect the employment of any individual filling a position previously approved by the committee.

(2) After the convening of the Legislative Assembly in an odd-numbered year regular session and until the newly appointed Legislative Counsel Committee provides otherwise, the Legislative Counsel may employ and fix the compensation of individuals the Legislative Counsel considers necessary for the effective conduct of the work supervised or managed by the Legislative Counsel.

(3) Notwithstanding ORS 173.111 and 173.200, if a vacancy occurs in the position of Legislative Counsel after the convening of the Legislative Assembly in an odd-numbered year regular session and before the appointment of a Legislative Counsel Committee, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives may jointly select a Legislative Counsel who has the qualifications set forth in ORS 173.200. The Legislative Counsel selected by the President and the Speaker serves at their pleasure at a salary jointly fixed by the President and the Speaker that does not exceed the salary last fixed by the committee. The President and Speaker may act in lieu of the Legislative Counsel Committee under ORS 293.335 in designating the Legislative Counsel they select to approve disbursements and in filing the statement of designation. After appointment of a Legislative Counsel Committee, the Legislative Counsel selected under this subsection serves at the pleasure of the committee and the committee may exercise power and authority over the Legislative Counsel as if the Legislative Counsel had been selected by the committee.