Friday would have been the tenth day that Oregon’s Republican state senators have walked out protesting policies endorsed by the Democratic majority if Senate President Rob Wagner hadn’t postponed the session. On the ninth day, however, a coalition supporting the measures that the walkout was protesting began its own demonstration.
Over a hundred supporters from groups like Basic Rights Oregon, the Oregon Education Association, and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon rallied Thursday(11 May 2023) before the Capitol in Salem. Protesters in Oregon demanded that Republicans “get back to work” before the end of the legislative session on June 25.
Legislators staging a deadlock to kill legislation is nothing new, but last November, voters approved Measure 113 to stop it from happening again. KOIN 6 earlier reported that the impacted GOP leaders would dispute the rule in court, even though the bill would make lawmakers with 10 or more unexcused absences ineligible for re-election.
One of the rally’s proponents of Measure 113 was Jennifer Parrish Taylor, director of activism and public policy for the Urban League of Portland.
“With Measure 113, voters sent a clear message that lawmakers need to show up and do their job,” she said. “When legislators walk out on the job, they are walking out on constituents, on families, on patients, on workers, and on all Oregonians; folks who don’t have the privilege of being able to miss work.”
House Bills 2002 and 2005 were specifically mentioned by other protesters as examples of legislation being thwarted by the Republican senator walkout. Portland Tourism Honors Industry Leaders with Awards Both HB 2002 and HB 2005 aim to reduce gun violence, with HB 2002 expanding access to contraception and gender-affirming healthcare.
“I’m incredibly worried for the patients and doctors in states where politicians are inserting themselves into these deeply personal medical decisions,” Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Steiner said of HB 2002. “When the people of Oregon voted to put Democrats in the majority last year, they voted for our priorities – including protecting reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights.”
Here’s what you need to know about what’s been going on in Oregon recently:
- Oregon Republicans Hold A Walkout To Stop Bills Backed By Democrats.
- Angry Parents Slam Oregon Schools for Inappropriate S*x Education Lesson.
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America’s state chapter head Hilary Uhlig shared her thoughts on HB 2005. She argued that the Oregon legislature should get back to work on the bill since gun violence is an issue that cuts across party lines.
Even though Democratic and Republican lawmakers from Oregon were set to meet on Thursday and Friday to discuss ending the boycott, no satisfactory resolution has been announced.
(Source)