December 4, 2023 3:00 a.m.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is seeking additional public comments on proposed updates to the rules for excluding individuals from Oregon State Parks who commit violations, including endangering the safety of visitors and staff.

An OPRD release said the proposed rules opened for public comment on October 2nd and reflected changes recommended by the Rule Advisory Committee. That is a group formed by OPRD that included representatives from the mental health community, attorneys, agency safety staff and park hosts. The first public comment period closed November 3rd.

After reviewing public comments, the agency decided that an update is needed to clarify the exclusion decision-making process to include exclusion conditions and timeline. This means that an additional round of public comment is required before adopting the updates to the rule.

OPRD is accepting comments until 5:00 p.m. on January 4, 2024. Comments can be made online, in writing or via email: https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/PRP/pages/PRP-rulemaking.aspx