Oregon Media Insiders

It's known as the Mason-Corridori Act, after the reporter/photographer team from KATU who brought this issue to light. It was in response to being given access to fire scenes expecially during forest fire operations. Here is the text of the law:

SECTION 1. ORS 162.255 is amended to read:

162.255. (1) A person commits the offense of refusing to assist in fire-fighting operations if:

(a) Upon command by a person known by the person to be a firefighter the person unreasonably refuses or fails to assist in extinguishing a fire or protecting property threatened thereby; or

(b) Upon command by a person known by the person to be a firefighter or peace officer the person intentionally and unreasonably disobeys a lawful order relating to the conduct of the person in the vicinity of a fire.

(2) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to a person working for a news organization if the person is reporting on the fire and the person does not unreasonably interfere with fire-fighting operations.

[(2)] (3) Refusing to assist in fire-fighting operations is a Class B violation.

Approved by the Governor July 22, 2005
Filed in the office of Secretary of State July 25, 2005
Effective date January 1, 2006