Senate GOP leader faces recall effort for not walking out
April 7, 2021 GMT
SALEM, Ore. (AP) Oregon state Senate Minority Leader Fred Girod faces a recall effort because he was among GOP lawmakers who allowed the chamber to reach a quorum last month while it debated whether to ban firearms in state buildings.
Oregon Public Broadcating reports that Girod and five fellow Republicans were on hand March 25, ensuring the chamber had the minimum 20 members present required to take up business. Republicans in the state Senate have previously skipped floor sessions en masse to thwart legislation favored by majority Democrats.
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The gun bill passed over GOP objections.
Bills to pay reparations for slavery stir tough feelings March 09 2021 I feel like this is truly the right thing for Oregon to do in order to right the wrongs of the past.
Should Oregonians pay thousands each year in reparations to descendants of enslaved people?
That s the question Oregon lawmakers take up Wednesday morning, March 10, as they discuss two senate bills requiring the state to study paying reparations to African American Oregonians who can trace their ancestry to slavery.
Former state Rep. Tiffiny K. Mitchell of Astoria says yes, we should. A handful of others who submitted early testimony on the two bills say absolutely not.
The Oregon Legislature returned to the Capitol on Monday amid a raging pandemic that has the Salem-area under an extreme risk listing for COVID-19 infections.
The 60-member House and 30-member Senate wore face masks and maintained 6 feet of separation while meeting in the chambers in the 1938 art deco Capitol. The agenda was to swear in members, elect leaders and set rules for the session. The session won t officially get underway until Jan. 19.
The rules turned out to be the main sticking point.
With majorities in both the House and Senate, Democrats pushed to begin the session on time. They argued that the long list of crises â COVID-19, unemployment, recovery from the massive wildfires, police reform and equity issues â was too pressing to delay. Lawmakers would use a mix of virtual meetings and hearings, coming to Salem only for final votes on bills.
December 15 2020
Gov. Brown calls legislators together, the Monday before Christmas, to address the pandemic and wildfires.
After weeks of negotiations with lawmakers, Gov. Kate Brown announced a one-day special session of the Legislature to deal with COVID-19 related issues.
The session is set for Monday, Dec. 21, marking an unusual Christmas-week session.
The need for state action has grown in recent weeks as Congress has failed to come up with a bill extending several key programs on unemployment, an eviction moratorium and small business subsidies.
Brown says she will ask for $800 million to help Oregon residents who have battled a pandemic and one of the worst fire seasons in state history.
Legislature will hold special session about — and amid — pandemic bendbulletin.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bendbulletin.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.