OR Capital Bureau

12/19/2023

U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz is calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to hear two cases challenging the president’s authority to create national monuments on public land without congressional approval.

08/25/2023

Gov. Tina Kotek appointed retired Brig. Gen. Erin K. McMahon to lead the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. A lawyer, McMahon served as senior adviser this year at Virginia-based McChrystal Group.

Gov. Tina Kotek appointed retired Brig. Gen. Erin K. McMahon to lead the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. A lawyer, McMahon served as senior adviser this year at Virginia-based McChrystal

07/28/2023

Salem could be on the verge of becoming the state capital in name only. The city’s new tax would dramatically change how legislators and other public employees go about their jobs.

Salem could be on the verge of becoming the state capital in name only. The city’s new tax would dramatically change how legislators and other public employees go about their

07/28/2023

Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena, will chair the Council of State Governments West – just not as soon as expected.

Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena, will chair the Council of State Governments West – just not as soon as expected. A hotel labor dispute in California caused postponement of the annual

07/26/2023

There are 67 weeks until the November 2024 election, but this week showed some campaigns have set their alarm clocks extra early.

07/10/2023

With the noisy, bitterly partisan 2023 session of the Legislature lurching to a close on the last possible day under the Oregon constitution, state politics can turn its attention to the noisy, bitterly partisan 2024 election.

With the noisy, bitterly partisan 2023 session of the Legislature lurching to a close on the last possible day under the Oregon constitution, state politics can turn its attention to

06/28/2023

Gov. Tina Kotek on Wednesday nominated former Portland city auditor LaVonne Griffin-Valade as the Secretary of State.

06/23/2023

U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Happy Valley, on Wednesday voted to censure U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.

06/16/2023

The opening ceremony for the Oregon House floor session on Wednesday was a moment of silent reflection.

06/16/2023

After 42 days — the longest in state history, and one of the longest in U.S. history — the Oregon Senate ended a walkout with both majority Democrats and minority Republicans asserting victory in disputes over abortion access, gender-affirming care …

After 42 days — the longest in state history, and one of the longest in U.S. history — the Oregon Senate ended a walkout with both majority Democrats and minority

06/16/2023

An Oregon DMV data breach has compromised roughly 3.5 million Oregonians' IDs and drivers licenses, the department said Thursday.

05/25/2023

Senators who are barred from re-election will not be allowed to file for re-election in 2024 when the window for candidates opens Sept. 14, according to the Oregon Secretary of State's office.

Senators who are barred from re-election will not be allowed to file for re-election in 2024 when the window for candidates opens Sept. 14, according to the Oregon Secretary of

05/25/2023

Oregon voters may get to choose whether they want to use ranked-choice voting to elect their top federal and statewide officials.

05/25/2023

A $10.2 billion state school fund for the next two years — up from the $9.9 billion originally proposed by Gov. Tina Kotek and legislative budget writers — is likely to emerge soon for a vote of the full Oregon House.

A $10.2 billion state school fund for the next two years — up from the $9.9 billion originally proposed by Gov. Tina Kotek and legislative budget writers — is likely

05/23/2023

Republicans in the Oregon Senate were mostly absent from Monday's roll call, extending a stalemate that began May 3 and threatens to sink the rest of the 2023 session.

05/22/2023

Former Oregon Congressman Kurt Schrader joined the Washington, D.C.-based law and lobbying firm Williams & Jensen as one of the principals. Schrader, who represented the 5th Congressional District, was defeated for re-election last year.

Former Oregon Congressman Kurt Schrader joined the Washington, D.C.-based law and lobbying firm Williams & Jensen as one of the principals. Schrader, who represented the 5th Congressional District, was defeated

05/19/2023

Halfway through May, most major river basins in Oregon continue to have above-average mountain snowpack, though some areas are melting out at a record pace following several weeks of unseasonably warm weather.

Halfway through May, most major river basins in Oregon continue to have above-average mountain snowpack, though some areas are melting out at a record pace following several weeks of unseasonably

05/12/2023

SALEM — Republican and Democratic leaders in the Oregon Legislature met Thursday to try to resolve a boycott by GOP senators that has frozen Senate proceedings, with a deadline looming that threatens to disqualify boycotters from being reelected.

SALEM — Republican and Democratic leaders in the Oregon Legislature met Thursday to try to resolve a boycott by GOP senators that has frozen Senate proceedings, with a deadline looming

05/11/2023

The six top leaders of the Oregon Legislature met Wednesday as Republican walkouts and boycotts stalled Democrats' agenda with just five weeks left until the planned end of the 2023 session.

The six top leaders of the Oregon Legislature met Wednesday as Republican walkouts and boycotts stalled Democrats' agenda with just five weeks left until the planned end of the 2023

05/08/2023

As Gov. Tina Kotek considers her appointee to succeed Democrat Shemia Fagan as secretary of state, two of Kotek’s predecessors discussed what they faced when they had to fill vacancies in statewide elected offices.

As Gov. Tina Kotek considers her appointee to succeed Democrat Shemia Fagan as secretary of state, two of Kotek’s predecessors discussed what they faced when they had to fill vacancies

05/03/2023

Oregon Senate Republicans have staged a walkout to deny the chamber a quorum to do any business.

05/03/2023

My enduring image of Shemia Fagan is as state senator, with her fist held high, signaling her alignment with progressives holding a rally on the Oregon Capitol steps.

05/02/2023

The Oregon House, after a six-hour debate that resulted in a lot of emotion but changed no minds, passed legislation that builds on the state’s 2017 law ensuring access to abortion and other reproductive and gender-affirming health care.

The Oregon House, after a six-hour debate that resulted in a lot of emotion but changed no minds, passed legislation that builds on the state’s 2017 law ensuring access to

05/02/2023

Oregon is the only state where top state executives such as Secretary of State Shemia Fagan can't be impeached and removed from office.

04/21/2023

The impact of COVID-19 on Oregon is in a steady decline that makes it possible to end emergency steps in place since soon after the virus arrived in February 2020.

04/20/2023

If the Legislature’s majority Democrats get their way, Oregon voters will decide in November 2024 whether the Oregon Constitution should protect abortion, reproductive and gender-affirming health care.

04/20/2023

Oregon's two Republican members of Congress are navigating their party's response to hot-button issues while the 2024 campaign for their seats is already well under way.

04/14/2023

Differences between majority Democrats and minority Republicans have come to the surface as the Oregon House moves to a vote on legislation that builds on Oregon’s 2017 law ensuring access to abortion and other reproductive and gender-affirming care.

Differences between majority Democrats and minority Republicans have come to the surface as the Oregon House moves to a vote on legislation that builds on Oregon’s 2017 law ensuring access

04/13/2023

Take all the usual pressures, egos and issues. Compress them into one-third the building space. Add the sounds of drilling and pounding.

04/13/2023

Republicans on Wednesday locked up the brakes on the Oregon Legislature as Democrats added pressure to the accelerator.