Joe.My.God. LGBT News
The Associated Press reports:
A walkout by most Republican members of the Oregon Senate reached a fourth straight day Saturday, delaying action by the majority Democrats on bills on gun safety, abortion rights and gender-affirming health care.
The GOP’s boycott prevented a quorum, and Senate President Rob Wagner adjourned the body until Sunday morning.
Republican lawmakers have used walkouts in the past, but if they continue to stay away they’ll be risking their jobs. Last November, voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure that bans lawmakers with 10 unexcused absences from running for reelection.
The Oregon Capital Journal reports:
Republican leaders say they’re protesting an unconstitutional process of passing bills that don’t meet legal requirements for readable language that the public can understand. “We have to be accountable to the law … and apply the law to everything,” Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, told reporters afterwards.
Senate Republicans walked out several times in 2019, 2020 and 2021, prompting voters last November to approve Measure 113 to block any senator with 10 or more unexcused absences from re-election.
Four senators now have three unapproved absences, one has two unapproved absences and one has one unapproved absence.
In 2020, Oregon Republicans literally fled the state to avoid arrest after walking out over a climate change bill. Their 2019 walkout led to threats of violence by a militia group and the closure of the state capitol.
A walkout by most Republican members of the Oregon Senate reached a fourth straight day Saturday, delaying action by the majority Democrats on bills on gun safety, abortion rights and gender-affirming health care. https://t.co/GZdEWhITKv
— FOX 12 Oregon (@fox12oregon) May 6, 2023