80th Oregon Legislative Assembly
Term of state legislature in Oregon, US From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 80th Oregon Legislative Assembly convened for its first of two regular sessions on January 22, 2019, and met for three special sessions, the last of which concluded on December 21, 2020.
| 80th Oregon Legislative Assembly | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||
| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | Oregon Legislative Assembly | ||||
| Jurisdiction | Oregon, United States | ||||
| Meeting place | Oregon State Capitol | ||||
| Term | 2019–2021 | ||||
| Website | www.oregonlegislature.gov | ||||
| Oregon State Senate | |||||
| |||||
| Members | 30 Senators | ||||
| Senate President | Peter Courtney (D) | ||||
| Majority Leader | Rob Wagner (D) | ||||
| Minority Leader | Herman Baertschiger Jr. (R) | ||||
| Party control | Democratic | ||||
| Oregon House of Representatives | |||||
 | |||||
| Members | 60 Representatives | ||||
| Speaker of the House | Tina Kotek (D) | ||||
| Majority Leader | Barbara Smith Warner (D) | ||||
| Minority Leader | Christine Drazan (R) | ||||
| Party control | Democratic | ||||
In the November 2018 elections, the Democratic Party of Oregon gained supermajority status in both houses: one seat in the Senate for an 18–12 majority, and three seats in the House for a 38–22 majority.[1] From May 29 to June 28, 2019, the 10th senate district was vacant, following the death of senate minority leader Jackie Winters.[2]
Notable legislation
Successful
- HB 2001: Legalizing the upzoning of single-family-zoned neighborhoods to duplexes in cities above 10,000 in population, and legalizing the building of larger multi-family houses in cities above 25,000, including the Portland metropolitan area.
- SB 861: Approving state-funded postage for mail-in ballots
- HB 2007: Requiring a phase-out of all pre-2007 model year diesel trucks from Portland roads by 2025
- HB 2005: family/sick leave bill
- HB 2015: allowing drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants
- SB 1013: narrowing the number of death penalty offenses
- SB 998: Legalizing the Idaho stop for bicyclists
- SB 870: National Popular Vote Interstate Compact
- HB 3216: Allowing lawsuits for racially-motivated frivolous 9-1-1 calls
- SB 420: Expanding expungements of non-violent marijuana-related offenses
- SB 577: Adding gender identity as a protected class in hate crimes
- SB 320: Keeping most of Oregon on Daylight Saving Time on a year-round basis (the part of Oregon in the Mountain Time Zone is exempt)[3]
- SB 90: Placing restrictions on the distribution of plastic straws by restaurants and other food establishments [4]
Sent to referendum
- HB 2270: Raising the tobacco tax to fund healthcare
- SJR 18: Constitutional amendment to define campaign finance limits
Unsuccessful
- HB 2020: Cap-and-trade
- HB 3063: Removal of religious objections to mandatory vaccines
- HJR 10: Constitutional amendment for abolition of non-unanimous juries for criminal felony cases
Senate
Summarize
Perspective
The Oregon State Senate is composed of 18 Democrats and 12 Republicans. Democrats gained one seat in District 3.[1]
Senate President: Peter Courtney (D–11 Salem)
President Pro Tempore: Laurie Monnes Anderson (D–25 Gresham)
Majority Leader: Ginny Burdick (D–18 Portland) until May 22, 2020; Rob Wagner (D-19 Lake Oswego) after[5]
Minority Leader: Herman Baertschiger Jr. (R-2 Grants Pass)
- Winters died on May 29, 2019.[6]
- Bentz resigned from office effective January 2, 2020 to run in the 2020 election representing Oregon's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.[8]
- Findley was appointed as Bentz's successor on January 6, 2020.[9]
Events
In May 2019, Republican state senators refused to attend senate sessions for four days, opposing a $2 billion tax package for K-12 schools. They only returned after making a deal with Oregon Governor Kate Brown that Democratic state senators would not field bills on guns and vaccines, would "reset" a cap-and-trade bill, and promised not to walk out again. Previous Oregon legislative walkouts have occurred in 2007 for Republicans and 2001, 1995 and 1971 for Democrats.[10]
From June 20, 2019, all 11 Republican state senators for Oregon, including Girod, refused to show up for work at the Oregon State Capitol, instead going into hiding, some even fleeing the state. Their aim was to prevent a vote on a cap-and-trade proposal, House Bill 2020 that would dramatically lower greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to combat climate change. The Senate holds 30 seats, but 1 is vacant due to the death of Republican Jackie Winters. Without the Republican senators, the remaining 18 Democratic state senators could not reach a quorum of 20 to hold a vote before the end of the legislative session on June 30, 2019.[11][12] This tactic is known as quorum-busting.[13]
Oregon Governor Kate Brown sent the Oregon State Police to bring the absent Republican senators back to the Capitol. In response, Republican Oregon Senator Brian Boquist said: "Send bachelors and come heavily armed. I'm not going to be a political prisoner in the state of Oregon." Right-wing militia groups have offered support for the Republican senators, with 3 Percenters declaring they would be "doing whatever it takes to keep these senators safe", and the Oath Keepers stating: "Gov. Brown, you want a civil war, because this is how you get a civil war". On June 22, 2019, a session of the Oregon Senate was cancelled when the Oregon State Capitol was closed due to a warning from the state police of a "possible militia threat".[14][15][16][17] All but 2 of the Republican senators returned to the session by June 29.
In August 2019 Governor Brown considered calling a special session to address the impacts of recent death penalty legislation, but declined to do so when it became clear that the House of Representatives lacked the votes to ensure passage.[18]
In February 2020 Republican senators walked out again, still in protest of the cap and trade legislation.[19]
House
Summarize
Perspective
Based on the results of the 2018 elections, the Oregon House of Representatives is composed of 38 Democrats and 22 Republicans. Democrats gained three seats from the previous session.[1]
Speaker: Tina Kotek (D–44 Portland)
Speaker Pro Tempore: Paul Holvey (D-8 Eugene)
Majority Leader: Jennifer Williamson (D–36 Portland) until July 7, 2019; Barbara Smith Warner (D-45 Portland) after[20]
Minority Leader: Carl Wilson (R–3 Grants Pass) until September 16, 2019; Christine Drazan (R-39 Canby) after[21]
- Boles was appointed on June 25, 2019 to replace Jackie Winters as the Senator for District 10 in the Oregon State Senate. Winters died on May 29, 2019, leaving the seat vacant.[7]
- Moore-Green was appointed on July 23, 2019 to replace Boles.[22]
- Greenlick died on May 15, 2020.[23]
- Dexter was appointed on June 14, 2020 to replace Williamson.[24]
- Williamson resigned from office effective December 30, 2019 to run for Oregon Secretary of State.[25]
- Lawrence-Spence was appointed on January 16, 2020 to replace Williamson.[26]
- McLane resigned from office effective July 1, 2019 to accept an appointment from Governor Kate Brown to the Oregon circuit court bench as a judge representing the 22nd judicial district.[27]
- Breese-Iverson was appointed on August 8, 2019 to replace McLane.[28]
- Findley resigned from office effective January 6, 2020 to accept an appointment to the Oregon Senate representing District 30.[9]
- Owens was appointed on January 21, 2020 to replace Findley.[29]
See also
References
External links
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