Oregon Legislature

The First Amendment doesn't let state senators who walked out in protest for six weeks run for reelection, a federal appeals court ruled.

Several timber companies participated in a workgroup and proposal that would cut the fees they pay to the state for fire protection.

Hanging over next year's election is the question of whether a handful of Senate Republicans who walked out of the legislative session for six weeks will be allowed to run again.

GOP senators and state attorneys disagree on what Measure 113 does, but they agree the matter needs to be answered soon.

The senators say Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade cannot bar them from seeking another term because of a constitutional loophole

Measure 113 is a bust. It didn’t stop legislative walkouts. It’s not as clear as its backers thought. It fostered division and recrimination in the Oregon Senate this year.

McMinnville child welfare worker claims that Senate absences and fundraising activities are unlawful — and she wants the state to investigate.

Despite widespread support among voters—and a Democratic supermajority in the capitol—opponents of the state’s cap-and-trade legislation opted for anarchy instead.

The Oregon Republican senators who've walked out on #HB2020 and a cap-and-trade vote say they're representing their constituents. Taken together, their campaigns have been funded by one primary constituent: Corporate America. pic.twitter.com/i29Ul714bB— Rob Davis (@robwdavis) June 24, 2019

Here's what you need to know as lawmakers prepare to wrap things up in Salem

Oregon's high-spending session, which ended Saturday evening, was made possible by an unexpectedly robust rebound in Oregon’s economy and an infusion of billions of dollars in federal recovery funds. Sweeping police accountability reforms passed thanks to lawmakers’ heightened awareness of racial inequities and desire to address them, but leaders from communities of color cited several major proposals legislators failed to pass.

This year the legislative session needed to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic, which meant closing the Capitol to the public.

Pharmaceutical companies spent nearly $2 million on lobbying during Oregon’s legislative session this year, as the drug industry worked to block lawmakers’ proposal to create a board empowered to set price limits for the costliest medicines. It would have put Oregon at the forefront nationally in addressing prescription drug costs.

Two Republican political consultants filed campaign finance complaints against a liberal political action committee running radio ads.

Most every other state in the country requires only a simple majority of lawmakers be present in order to conduct legislative business, write Reps. David Gomberg and Khanh Pham. It's time that Oregon lower its quorum requirement as well and prevent legislative walkouts for good.

Here are the highlights of lawmakers work over the contentious five-month session.

The Oregon Legislature ended the 2023 legislative session with a few hours to spare late Sunday afternoon.

Several key environmental bills to help protect communities against the effect of climate change have passed the Oregon Legislature.

In November 2024, voters will decide whether to use ranked choice voting in races after January 1, 2028 for president, seats in Congress, governor, Oregon secretary of state and some others.

Oregon is the only U.S. state without some form of impeachment powers in its state constitution.

Oregon's constitution has no impeachment process for statewide elected officials. That could change next year.

The veg in question is already famously linked to another state.

Enough Republican senators returned to the state Capitol on Thursday for the Oregon Senate to resume work.

Republican and Democratic leaders in Salem have reached an agreement to end the legislative walkout that's stretched on for nearly a month and a half. Senate Republicans led the walkout in early May to protest legislation involving abortion access.

A deal between legislative Republicans and Democrats will affect abortion access and gender-affirming care, gun rights and more.

Lawmakers are scrambling to negotiate an agreement that will end the Republican-led Senate walkout and bring back lawmakers.

Bipartisan collaboration was once a point of pride in Oregon, where Republicans have brought the Senate to a halt with a political boycott.

After nearly 10 hours of negotiations over the weekend, top lawmakers arrived at a tentative framework for rescuing the 2023 session. Both sides stress a deal hasn't been made.