The Oregon Senate is getting ready to vote on SB 1599 -- probably the legislative session's most contentious bill. It would move the date of a vote on gas tax increases from Nov. to May. The big question is whether Dems can find 16 votes in their 18-member caucus. #orleg

Looks like Senate Republicans will be on the chamber floor today, after refusing to show up yesterday in protest. "We're proceeding," Senate Minority Leader Bruce Starr just told me. #orleg #orpol

More GOP Oregon state representatives have reported accepting campaign donations during this year's session -- breaking a chamber rule that legislative attys say is likely unconstitutional. E. Werner Reschke accepted $500 on 2/2. Alek Skarlatos accepted $250 on 2/5. #orleg

Lawmakers are about to hold a hearing on the most contentious question of the Oregon session: Whether to move a vote on gas taxes Dems passed last year from November up to May. Of nearly 3,300 pieces of testimony filed, I count fewer than 50 in favor. #orpol #orleg

ICYMI last week: The Oregon House has a rule that members can't raise campaign funds during session. At least one Republican is putting it to the test, after legislative attorneys said it is likely unconstitutional. #orleg #orpol www.opb.org/article/2026...

Oregon lawmakers got a slightly brighter budget picture this morning. They'd been planning for a $750 million budget hole. Now it's closer to $650 million. #orleg #orpol www.opb.org/article/2026...

Oregon Democrats today unveiled their plan for reclaiming state money that is due to be lost to the Trump tax cuts. This figures to be one of the more heated debates of the new legislative session. #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2026...

Oregon's (blessedly only) five-week legislative session begins today. It'll feature budget cut questions, attempts to push back on ICE, and a road-funding time loop. #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2026...

One of those magical stories which sparks outrage from... everyone!

Yesterday, a union-backed campaign aimed at pushing Democrats to disconnect from the federal tax code roped in top lawmakers: Senate Prez Rob Wagner, House Speaker Julie Fahey. According to Meta those ads were active for less than an hour. #orpol #orleg

Something you don't see every day: Oregon labor unions are targeting moderate Democratic lawmakers with unflattering ads. The aim: Forcing Democrats to reject tax changes in President Trump's H.R. 1 -- and therefore (functionally) raising taxes. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2026...

To all the chaos that has surrounded Oregon’s quest for transportation funding in the last year, add this: Absolutely no one knows what happens next. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2026...

Not something anyone I've talked to was expecting. Former state Sen. Tim Knopp, who led the longest legislative walkout in Oregon history, now works for Gov. Tina Kotek. #orleg #orpol www.opb.org/article/2026...

Gov. Tina Kotek now says lawmakers should scrap the transportation funding bill she muscled through the Capitol last summer. Kotek wants to cut her losses and start afresh, after Republicans forced a vote on tax increases in the bill. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2026...

The Oregon DOJ is asking a judge to block the construction of an ICE detention facility in Newport -- a facility no one is sure is actually coming. www.opb.org/article/2025...

The US Coast Guard told Oregon's US Senators that it will return a rescue helicopter to Newport permanently. A lawsuit over the helicopter's sudden removal in Oct is ongoing. www.opb.org/article/2025...

With Gov. Tina Kotek's (long-expected) announcement that she's running for reelection this morning, it's the perfect time to revisit our comprehensive look at how her first term has gone. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

The campaign hoping to refer Oregon's newly passed gas tax increase to next year's ballot now says it has more than 150,000 signatures -- roughly double of what it needs. #orpol

There are new signs of life for a rumored immigrant detention center in Newport. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

Four of Oregon’s top lawyers are “highly concerned” about immigration officers stopping a group of teenagers at gunpoint in October and, last week, arresting a high school student on his lunch break.

That was quick. A federal judge has ordered the Coast Guard to immediately return a rescue helicopter it quietly moved away from Newport last month. www.opb.org/article/2025...

There is growing evidence ICE is planning a new detention center on the Oregon coast. The latest: an ICE contractor is hiring "detention officers" in Newport. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

New: Speculation that ICE might be planning a new facility on the Oregon coast kicked off last week, when a federal contractor told Newport officials it would assist in a federal mission at the city's airport scheduled Dec 1. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

I've been hearing all day about rumors that ICE wants to set up a new outpost on the Oregon coast. Newport officials say their airport is in the agency's sites. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

Gov. Tina Kotek has signed the transportation funding bill lawmakers passed over a month ago. Opponents now have until Dec 30 to collect enough signatures to send taxes in the bill to the ballot for voter approval. #orleg #orpol

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has vacated a ruling that President Trump lawfully called the National Guard into Portland. The court will hear the matter "en banc" after its judges voted to take up the case.

Gov. Tina Kotek has not announced her reelection bid yet. But her campaign is tweeting this out on the morning Christine Drazan will announce her own gubernatorial run. Betsy Johnson ran against both women in 2022. And her tune on Kotek was very different then. #orpol

State Rep. Christine Drazan just pursued -- and won -- an open Senate seat, even though she plans to run for governor. That may seem confusing until you realize Senators can raise political cash during legislative session. Reps cannot. #orleg #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

President Donald Trump is sending 300 California National Guard members to Oregon after a judge blocked the administration from deploying that state’s guard to Portland, according to California Gov. Gavin Newsom. apnews.com/article/nati...

Way before Tom Dundon was the potential savior of one of Oregon's most beloved institutions, the state accused him of being a car loan shark. (My words not theirs.) www.opb.org/article/2025...

New: According to staff, the Senate floor session scheduled for tomorrow is likely to be delayed again -- by perhaps weeks -- because Sen Chris Gorsek can't make it to the Capitol. Gorsek has been battling health problems, but is needed to pass a tax package. #orleg #orpol

Notable #orleg news. State Rep. Annessa Hartman, D-Gladstone, says she won't run for re-election. Instead she's seeking a seat on the Clackamas County Commission. Hartman does not have many positive things to say about legislative politics in her announcement.

NEW: State Rep. Cyrus Javadi is now a Democrat. After a decisive vote in favor of Gov. Tina Kotek's transportation tax package on Monday, Javadi will seek reelection next year as a member of the majority party. #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...

New: A vote on the Gov Tina Kotek's transportation package is expected to be delayed by two weeks, with Sen. Chris Gorsek out for health reasons. #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...

There are a LOT of rumors in Salem right now, but this much feels clear: The Senate is not likely to vote on the transportation bill tomorrow -- and maybe not until well after. Sen Chris Gorsek, whose vote Dems may need, is unable to attend for health reasons. #orleg

The Oregon Senate just met briefly. Democrats did not attempt to force a vote on HB 3991, the governor's transportation funding bill. Under normal procedural rules (which Republicans are insisting on) tomorrow is the first day it can get a vote. #orleg #orpol

As Hartman said she would vote against the measure, Rep. Hoa Nguyen, who is undergoing cancer treatment and wasn't here earlier, came to the floor. It takes 36 votes to pass any tax measure, and there are 36 Democrats. Javadi, the only R to support the measure, could cancel out Hartman. #orleg

The Oregon House is back in session to vote on @GovTinaKotek's transportation funding bill. And Republicans, who hate the bill, agree to suspend the rule requiring it to be read in full. So this will be somewhat efficient? #orleg #orpol

Oregon Dems are signaling they will back off on some of their funding ambitions as they negotiate with Republicans. Gov. Tina Kotek proposed doubling a 0.1% payroll tax for transit. Now Speaker Julie Fahey has an amendment that would sunset the increase after 2 yrs. #orleg

The GOP's "Big Beautiful Bill" doesn't just include federal tax cuts. Because Oregon automatically adopts the federal code, it could blow a $373M hole in Oregon's budget. #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...

More than 1750 pieces of testimony have already been filed ahead of a public hearing today on @GovTinaKotek's bill to raise taxes to fund ODOT/transit. No idea the overall makeup, but each one of the dozens I've checked have been opposed. #orleg #orpol

We finally have firm details for what the transportation funding bill being pushed by @tinakotek.bsky.social would raise in tax revenue. It's about $5.8B over a decade (and more after, as these taxes would continue). That's half a major bill that failed in June. #orpol #orleg

On June 18, a major GOP fundraising platform began listing Christine Drazan as a gubernatorial candidate for next year. Drazan's camp says it doesn't know why that happened. The listing was removed today. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

Tom Homan’s visit came more than a month after he name-checked Portland during a televised interview with Fox Business

New: Gov. Tina Kotek is delaying mass layoffs at the Oregon Department of Transportation by 45 days. She'll call lawmakers into special session on Aug. 29 to fill a funding hole at the agency. #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...

In news that will disappoint folks who were salivating over their own run, Jeff Merkley is seeking reelection next year. #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...

Every part of Oregon and the PNW is forecast to face high wildfire danger every month of summer — July, August and September, according to monthly forecast from the National Interagency Fire Center. It may be the first time that’s ever been the case: tinyurl.com/5zehdfjr

Gov. Tina Kotek had a lot of blame to spread around, after lawmakers failed to pass new $$ for roads this session. None for herself, so much. #orpol #orleg www.opb.org/article/2025...

NO

NEW: Democrats' major road-funding bill is dead. The party is scrambling to instead pass a 3-cent gas tax increase. #orleg #orpol www.opb.org/article/2025...