Shaanth Nanguneri - Oregon Capital Chronicle
Shaanth Kodialam Nanguneri is a reporter based in Salem, Oregon covering Gov. Tina Kotek and the Oregon Legislature. He grew up in the Bay Area, California and went on to study at UCLA, reporting for the Daily Bruin until graduating in March 2025. Previously, he was a reporting intern covering criminal justice and health for CalMatters in Sacramento, California. He is always eager to tell stories that illuminate how complex and intricate policies from state government can help shape the lives of everyday Oregonians.
Oregon lawmakers charge forward with disputed penalties for law enforcement masking
Tackling federal agent masking was a key priority of House Democratic legislative leadership, but it remains to be seen whether such a bill would survive legal challenges. To comment on this story, use the form at the end of the report.
Federal agents shoot two people in Portland, police say
Federal agents shot and injured a man and a woman near an east Portland medical clinic Thursday afternoon.
Oregon Head Start calls on Gov. Kotek to reallocate nearly $10M in lost funding
State lawmakers cut roughly $35 million from preschool and early childhood programs in the 2025-27 budget because of projected declines in corporate tax revenue.
From stronger consumer rights to harsher criminal penalties, these Oregon laws are now official
New Oregon laws bar medical debt from going on consumer credit reports and guarantee unemployment benefits to striking workers.
First-in-the-nation Oregon law capping state employee hospital payments is working, study says
A leader of the state’s top hospital industry group called research into Oregon's law capping state employee hospital payments “disconnected from reality and tone deaf.”
Anticipating early 2026 opening, Oregon seeks to block potential Newport ICE facility
The state of Oregon is asking a federal judge to block construction of a suspected immigration detention facility in Newport, though the federal government's plans remain murky.
Oregon, West Coast states reject CDC panel’s push against hepatitis B shot for most newborns
Oregon public health officials will continue to recommend a hepatitis B vaccine for most babies, a recommendation supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Gov. Kotek, lawmakers call for streamlined permit, land use rules amid concern for Oregon business
The one area of consensus between lawmakers on the left and right during the annual Oregon Leadership Summit appeared to be easing the regulatory burden facing businesses.
Portland’s DA balked at charging federal agents. Then Oregon’s attorney general stepped in
Multnomah County District Attorney’s office says only Attorney General Dan Rayfield has the resources to investigate excessive force concerns, but the attorney general will seek District Attorney Nathan Vasquez’s stamp of approval.
Rural, low-income Oregon families struggle to access after-school programs
Students in rural school districts in eastern and southern Oregon often have few after-school program options, with long transportation distances and cost posing barriers.