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Legislature opens 2021 session with a heavy infusion of reality
Ritual and rhetoric are subdued; members of color reach historic high in Oregon.
The new Oregon Legislature was light on the usual ritual and rhetoric during its opening day on Monday, Jan. 11 though they were present but heavy on the realities that have reshaped state politics during the past year.
All 60 representatives and 17 new senators took their oaths from Chief Justice Martha Walters. But unlike typical opening days which have been compared to the first day of school staff, families and friends were largely absent from the Capitol in Salem because of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
SALEM
The Oregon Legislature on Thursday released its Capitol Operations Safety Plan for the upcoming 2021 Legislative Session. The plan provides a framework for how to convene safely for the upcoming session while ensuring transparency and public participation during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 1,500 Oregonians.
The goal of the plan is to balance the following priorities:
⢠Safety â for the public, building employees, legislators and their staff
⢠Transparency â to ensure that the process is clear and encourages public input
⢠Strong public participation â to make sure proposed legislation receives public review
⢠The completion of the Legislatureâs business â to meet the needs of the state