80th Oregon Legislative Assembly

Last updated
80th Oregon Legislative Assembly
79th Legislative Assembly 81st Legislative Assembly
Overview
Legislative body Oregon Legislative Assembly
Jurisdiction Oregon, United States
Meeting place Oregon State Capitol
Term2019–2021
Website www.oregonlegislature.gov
Oregon State Senate
Oregon Senate 2019-2021.svg
Members30 Senators
Senate President Peter Courtney (D)
Majority Leader Rob Wagner (D)
Minority Leader Herman Baertschiger Jr. (R)
Party control Democratic
Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House 2019-2021.svg
Members60 Representatives
Speaker of the House Tina Kotek (D)
Majority Leader Barbara Smith Warner (D)
Minority Leader Christine Drazan (R)
Party control Democratic

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.

Contents

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

Sent to referendum

Unsuccessful

Senate

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)

DistrictSenatorPartyResidenceAssumed office
1 Dallas Heard Republican Roseburg 2018 [lower-alpha 1]
2 Herman Baertschiger Jr. Republican Grants Pass 2013
3 Jeff Golden Democratic Ashland 2019
4 Floyd Prozanski Democratic Eugene 2003
5 Arnie Roblan Democratic Coos Bay 2013
6 Lee Beyer Democratic Springfield 2011
7 James Manning Jr. DemocraticEugene2017 [lower-alpha 1]
8 Sara Gelser Democratic Corvallis 2015
9 Fred Girod Republican Molalla 2008 [lower-alpha 1]
10 Jackie Winters [lower-alpha 2] Republican Salem 2003
Denyc Boles [lower-alpha 3] Republican2019 [lower-alpha 1]
11 Peter Courtney Democratic1999
12 Brian Boquist Republican Dallas 2009
13 Kim Thatcher Republican Keizer 2015
14 Mark Hass Democratic Beaverton 2007 [lower-alpha 1]
15 Chuck Riley Democratic Hillsboro 2015
16 Betsy Johnson Democratic Scappoose 2007
17 Elizabeth Steiner Hayward Democratic Portland 2012 [lower-alpha 1]
18 Ginny Burdick Democratic1997
19 Rob Wagner Democratic Lake Oswego 2018 [lower-alpha 1]
20 Alan Olsen Republican Canby 2011
21 Kathleen Taylor DemocraticPortland2017
22 Lew Frederick Democratic2017
23 Michael Dembrow Democratic2013 [lower-alpha 1]
24 Shemia Fagan Democratic Clackamas 2019
25 Laurie Monnes Anderson Democratic Gresham 2005
26 Chuck Thomsen Republican Hood River 2010
27 Tim Knopp Republican Bend 2013
28 Dennis Linthicum Republican Bonanza 2017
29 Bill Hansell Republican Pendleton 2013
30 Cliff Bentz [lower-alpha 4] Republican Ontario 2018 [lower-alpha 1]
Lynn Findley [lower-alpha 5] Republican Vale 2020 [lower-alpha 1]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Senator was originally appointed.
  2. Winters died on May 29, 2019. [6]
  3. Boles was appointed as Winters' successor on June 25, 2019, [7] and was sworn into office on June 28, 2019. [2]
  4. 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]
  5. 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

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]

DistrictRepresentativePartyResidenceAssumed office
1 David Brock Smith Republican Port Orford 2017
2 Gary Leif Republican Roseburg 2018 [lower-alpha 1]
3 Carl Wilson Republican Grants Pass 2015
4 Duane Stark Republican2015
5 Pam Marsh Democratic Ashland 2017
6 Kim Wallan Republican Medford 2019
7 Cedric Ross Hayden RepublicanFall Creek2015
8 Paul Holvey Democratic Eugene 2004 [lower-alpha 1]
9 Caddy McKeown Democratic Coos Bay 2013
10 David Gomberg Democratic Otis 2013
11 Marty Wilde DemocraticEugene2019
12 John Lively Democratic Springfield 2013
13 Nancy Nathanson DemocraticEugene2007
14 Julie Fahey Democratic 2017
15 Shelly Boshart Davis Republican Albany 2019
16 Dan Rayfield Democratic Corvallis 2015
17 Sherrie Sprenger Republican Scio 2009
18 Rick Lewis Republican Silverton 2017
19 Denyc Boles [lower-alpha 2] Republican Salem 2014 [lower-alpha 1]
Raquel Moore-Green [lower-alpha 3] Republican2019 [lower-alpha 1]
20 Paul Evans Democratic Monmouth 2015
21 Brian L. Clem DemocraticSalem2007
22 Teresa Alonso Leon Democratic Woodburn 2017
23 Mike Nearman Republican Independence 2015
24 Ron Noble Republican McMinnville 2017
25 Bill Post Republican Keizer 2015
26 Courtney Neron Democratic Wilsonville 2019
27 Sheri Malstrom Democratic Beaverton 2017
28 Jeff Barker Democratic Aloha 2003
29 Susan McLain Democratic Forest Grove 2015
30 Janeen Sollman Democratic Hillsboro 2017
31 Brad Witt Democratic Clatskanie 2005
32 Tiffiny Mitchell Democratic Astoria 2019
33 Mitch Greenlick [lower-alpha 4] Democratic Portland 2003
Maxine Dexter [lower-alpha 5] Democratic2020 [lower-alpha 1]
34 Ken Helm Democratic Beaverton2015
35 Margaret Doherty Democratic Tigard 2009
36 Jennifer Williamson [lower-alpha 6] DemocraticPortland2013
Akasha Lawrence-Spence [lower-alpha 7] Democratic2020 [lower-alpha 1]
37 Rachel Prusak Democratic West Linn 2019
38 Andrea Salinas Democratic Lake Oswego 2017
39 Christine Drazan Republican Canby 2019
40 Mark Meek Democratic Gladstone 2017
41 Karin Power Democratic Milwaukie 2017
42 Rob Nosse Democratic Portland 2014 [lower-alpha 1]
43 Tawna Sanchez Democratic2017
44 Tina Kotek Democratic2007
45 Barbara Smith Warner Democratic2015
46 Alissa Keny-Guyer Democratic2011
47 Diego Hernandez Democratic2017
48 Jeff Reardon Democratic Happy Valley 2013
49 Chris Gorsek Democratic Troutdale 2013
50 Carla Piluso Democratic Gresham 2015
51 Janelle Bynum DemocraticHappy Valley2017
52 Anna Williams Democratic Hood River 2019
53 Jack Zika Republican Redmond 2019
54 Cheri Helt Republican Bend 2019
55 Mike McLane [lower-alpha 8] Republican Powell Butte 2011
Vikki Breese-Iverson [lower-alpha 9] Republican Prineville 2019 [lower-alpha 1]
56 E. Werner Reschke Republican Klamath Falls 2017
57 Greg Smith Republican Heppner 2001
58 Greg Barreto Republican Cove 2015
59 Daniel Bonham Republican The Dalles 2017
60 Lynn Findley [lower-alpha 10] Republican Vale 2018 [lower-alpha 1]
Mark Owens [lower-alpha 11] Republican Crane 2020 [lower-alpha 1]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Representative was originally appointed.
  2. 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]
  3. Moore-Green was appointed on July 23, 2019 to replace Boles. [22]
  4. Greenlick died on May 15, 2020. [23]
  5. Dexter was appointed on June 14, 2020 to replace Williamson. [24]
  6. Williamson resigned from office effective December 30, 2019 to run for Oregon Secretary of State. [25]
  7. Lawrence-Spence was appointed on January 16, 2020 to replace Williamson. [26]
  8. 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]
  9. Breese-Iverson was appointed on August 8, 2019 to replace McLane. [28]
  10. Findley resigned from office effective January 6, 2020 to accept an appointment to the Oregon Senate representing District 30. [9]
  11. Owens was appointed on January 21, 2020 to replace Findley. [29]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "November 6, 2018, General Election Abstract of Votes" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State . Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Hammond, Betsy (June 28, 2019). "Oregon gets 12th Republican state senator". The Oregonian. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
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  7. 1 2 Lehman, Chris (June 25, 2019). "State Rep. Denyc Boles selected to replace the late Sen. Jackie Winters". The Oregonian . Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  8. "Cliff Bentz resigns, will run for Dist. 2". Hood River News . November 27, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Commissioners appoint Lynn Findley to replace Bentz in Oregon Senate". Baker City Herald . January 6, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  10. Loew, Tracy (June 20, 2019). "Oregon legislators in the minority have often used walkouts as leverage". Salem Statesman Journal . Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  11. "Oregon Republicans walk out on state Senate over climate change bill as governor threatens police roundup". CBS News . Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  12. Osborne, Mark; Youn, Soo (June 23, 2019). "Oregon's Republican state senators go into hiding over climate change vote amid militia threat". ABC News . Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  13. Parfitt, Jamie (June 19, 2019). "Governor Brown invokes state police as Republicans hint at walkout over cap-and-trade". KDRV. Retrieved 2020-03-06.Jamie Parfitt, [Governor Brown invokes state police as Republicans hint at walkout over cap-and-trade], KDRV (June 19, 2019).
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  15. Radnovich, Connor (June 22, 2019). "Saturday Senate session canceled after potential threat of militia protest violence". Salem Statesman Journal . Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  16. Szekely, Peter (June 23, 2019). "Oregon Capitol building closed as precaution amid partisan dispute". Reuters. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  17. Lubben, Alex (June 25, 2019). "Let's Check In on Those Oregon Republicans Who Fled the Capital, Shall We?". Vice News . Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  18. VanderHart, Dirk (September 18, 2019). "Oregon Governor Will Not Call Special Session To Adjust Death Penalty Law". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  19. "Oregon Republicans walk out again to avoid cap-and-trade vote". The Washington Post. 2020-02-24. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  20. "Oregon House Dems Elect Barbara Smith Warner as New Majority Leader". Willamette Week. July 7, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  21. "House Republican ousted from leadership role says he won't seek re-election". OregonLive.com. September 17, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
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  23. Crombie, Noelle (May 16, 2020). "Rep. Mitch Greenlick, longtime Oregon lawmaker, dies at 85". Oregonian/OregonLive. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
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  25. Monahan, Rachel (December 13, 2019). "Rep. Jennifer Williamson Will Resign Her Seat This Month to Campaign for Secretary of State". Willamette Week. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  26. Borrud, Hillary (January 16, 2020). "Multnomah County commissioners pick Democrat Akasha Lawrence-Spence for Oregon House seat". The Oregonian. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  27. "Mike McLane, of Powell Butte, new Circuit Court judge". Madras Pioneer . June 5, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  28. Warner, Gary A. (August 8, 2019). "Vikki Breese-Iverson selected as new state representative". The Bulletin . Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  29. "Mark Owens appointed to Oregon House". Blue Mountain Eagle . January 21, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2020.