---
type: "Bill"
title: "Relating to the use of tools by law enforcement agencies; and declaring an emergency."
description: "Prohibits law enforcement agencies from using tear gas <i>or from using long range acoustic devices or sound cannons.</i>]<b> for purposes of crowd control except in circumstances constituting riot."
jurisdiction: "us/states/or"
legislature: "Oregon Legislative Assembly"
session: "2020S1"
identifier: "HB 4208"
citation: "Oregon HB 4208 (2020S1)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Akasha Lawrence Spence", "Andrea Salinas", "Floyd Prozanski", "James Manning Jr.", "Janelle Bynum", "Lew Frederick", "Mark Meek", "Tawna Sanchez", "Teresa Alonso Leon", "Tina Kotek"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 18
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2020-06-24T13:55:10+00:00"
last_action: "2020-07-07T15:54:58+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/f33c35fb-47f9-475d-8db9-0b4dcb8dd498"
source_url: "https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2020S1/Measures/Overview/HB4208"
source_hash: "99b288c2bc3a969ab99bfb98d66dcf11720b93f1177f5ff9b2b39199103c46e3"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-or"]
---

# Oregon HB 4208 (2020S1) — Relating to the use of tools by law enforcement agencies; and declaring an emergency.

Prohibits law enforcement agencies from using tear gas <i>or from using long range acoustic devices or sound cannons.</i>]<b> for purposes of crowd control except in circumstances constituting riot.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **House Amendments to Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2020S1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB4208/House%20Amendments%20to%20Introduced)
2. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2020S1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB4208/Introduced)
3. **A-Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2020S1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB4208/A-Engrossed)
4. **J1SS Amendment -2** (committee substitute) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2020S1/Downloads/ProposedAmendment/18016)
5. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2020S1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB4208/Enrolled)

## Votes

- Rules suspended. Third reading. Carried by Hernandez. Passed. — **53–4** (pass) · lower
- Heard and Reported Out with Amendments — **28–0** (pass) · legislature
- Rules suspended. Third reading. Carried by Manning Jr. Passed. — **25–2** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Akasha Lawrence Spence — primary (person)
- Andrea Salinas — primary (person)
- Floyd Prozanski — primary (person)
- James Manning Jr. — primary (person)
- Janelle Bynum — primary (person)
- Lew Frederick — primary (person)
- Mark Meek — primary (person)
- Tawna Sanchez — primary (person)
- Teresa Alonso Leon — primary (person)
- Tina Kotek — primary (person)
- Alissa Keny-Guyer — cosponsor (person)
- Brian Clem — cosponsor (person)
- Carla Piluso — cosponsor (person)
- Chris Gorsek — cosponsor (person)
- Courtney Neron — cosponsor (person)
- Diego Hernandez — cosponsor (person)
- Ginny Burdick — cosponsor (person)
- Janeen Sollman — cosponsor (person)
- Julie Fahey — cosponsor (person)
- Karin Power — cosponsor (person)
- Laurie Monnes Anderson — cosponsor (person)
- Mark Hass — cosponsor (person)
- Marty Wilde — cosponsor (person)
- Maxine Dexter — cosponsor (person)
- Pam Marsh — cosponsor (person)
- Paul Evans — cosponsor (person)
- Paul Holvey — cosponsor (person)
- Rachel Prusak — cosponsor (person)
- Rick Lewis — cosponsor (person)
- Rob Nosse — cosponsor (person)
- Rob Wagner — cosponsor (person)
- Ron Noble — cosponsor (person)
- Shemia Fagan — cosponsor (person)
- Sheri Schouten — cosponsor (person)
- Tiffiny Mitchell — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2020-06-24T13:55:10+00:00** First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk. `introduction, reading-1, referral-committee`
- **2020-06-24T15:47:50+00:00** Referred to The First Special Session of 2020. `referral-committee`
- **2020-06-25T17:02:00+00:00** Public Hearing and Work Session held.
- **2020-06-26T17:24:21+00:00** Recommendation: Do pass with amendments and be printed A-Engrossed. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2020-06-26T19:44:42+00:00** Second reading. `reading-2`
- **2020-06-26T22:05:05+00:00** Rules suspended. Third reading. Carried by Hernandez. Passed. `passage, reading-3`
- **2020-06-26T22:33:03+00:00** First reading. Referred to President's desk. `introduction, reading-1, referral-committee`
- **2020-06-26T22:38:49+00:00** Referred to The First Special Session of 2020. `referral-committee`
- **2020-06-26T22:49:31+00:00** Recommendation: Do pass the A-Eng. bill. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2020-06-26T23:39:51+00:00** Rules suspended. Third reading. Carried by Manning Jr. Passed. `passage, reading-3`
- **2020-06-26T23:40:51+00:00** Boquist, excused, granted unanimous consent to vote nay.
- **2020-06-26T22:50:31+00:00** Rules suspended. Second reading. `reading-2`
- **2020-06-29T20:41:32+00:00** Speaker signed. `passage`
- **2020-06-26T22:06:05+00:00** Vote explanation(s) filed by Leif, Smith DB, Sollman, Williams.
- **2020-06-30T16:46:33+00:00** President signed. `passage`
- **2020-06-30T20:22:10+00:00** Governor signed. `executive-signature`
- **2020-07-07T15:54:58+00:00** Chapter 8, (2020 Laws): Effective date June 30, 2020.
- **2020-06-26T23:41:51+00:00** Vote explanations filed by Boquist, Prozanski, Taylor, Thatcher.

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/f33c35fb-47f9-475d-8db9-0b4dcb8dd498`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Oregon legislature records).