Salem, Oregon – Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has started an extensive examination of customer service and rulemaking processes targeted at helping both the public and state employees in a significant effort to improve state government operations. This new project is reflecting the Governor’s dedication to openness, effectiveness, and responsiveness in all spheres of state governance.
Governor Kotek has prioritized improving interactions between Oregonians and their government top priority starting her first week in office. Her method includes instructions to state agencies on how they create, change, or revoke operational policies. This order seeks to make the rulemaking process more open and understandable so that Oregonians may interact with the laws that directly impact their daily lives without difficulty.
“When Oregonians need something from the state, the state should be able to meet that need in a timely, professional manner,” Governor Kotek said. “Likewise, the more than 45,000 state workers doing this work should feel engaged in our mission and receive clear, consistent expectations from agency leaders. Since taking office, I have been focused on improving customer service, transparency, and accountability across state government. I believe we have made strides and am committed to staying the course.”
Under Director Berri Leslie, the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) has been extremely helpful in monitoring and putting these enhancements into use. Significant progress has been achieved in several areas: state agencies today document faster recruiting policies, lower vacancy rates, and more frequent employee assessments. Specifically, the Chief Operating Office (COO) has set new DAS customer service standards including acknowledging consumer contact within 24 hours.
These developments are a part of a larger campaign aiming at encouraging among the more than 45,000 state employees an active participation and responsibility. Along with information technology and continuity of operations plans, all state agencies have turned in strategic plans incorporating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and Affirmative Action plans.
“Governor Kotek has a central focus on improving how our agencies do business and deliver customer service, and I believe these actions show our commitment to improving access to state government for Oregonians and their families,” said Leslie.
The state has also clearly improved the processing timeframes for professional licenses. For example, the Board of Licensed Social Workers cut their application processing time from 112 days to 30 days. Likewise, the Board of Nursing now reviews entire applications in 48 hours, which helps to explain the 131% rise in issued licenses during the past two years.
The initiatives of the Governor also cover public participation and feedback. DAS created a Governor’s Expectations Dashboard, an interactive platform reporting data every quarter, and has published multiple quarterly reports showing agency development. Customer survey results also show a notable rise of more than 40%, suggesting more general public satisfaction.
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Aiming to define a new benchmark for efficiency and public service in Oregon, Governor Kotek’s administration has shown a proactive attitude to reinventing how state government runs and operates. Oregonians should expect a more responsive and open government better suited to fulfill their requests from these continuous adjustments.
