Category State
With mere days left, Senate Republicans and Democrats are in a standoff over carbon pricing legislation
Loggers rally outside of the Capitol on Wednesday to protest cap and trade. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) SALEM — The Oregon Legislature is mere days away from having to close up shop. But uncertainty has permeated the Capitol for the past couple of days as Senate…
PHOTOS: Log truck drivers take to Capitol in protest of HB 2020
Log truck drivers rallied outside the state capitol Wednesday morning in protest of House Bill 2020, which aims to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) Log truck drivers rallied outside the state capitol Wednesday morning in protest of House Bill 2020, which aims to…
Nine state employees clicked on email and now 645,000 Oregonians could be vulnerable
SALEM — About 645,000 people could have had their personal information pilfered after a January breach at the Oregon Department of Human Services. The agency said Tuesday that it is providing a year of credit monitoring and an insurance policy covering up to $1…
Senate Republicans threaten second walkout
Senate Republican Leader Herman Baertschiger Jr., R-Grants Pass, celebrates Senate President Peter Courtney’s 76th birthday on the Senate floor Tuesday. Minutes later, his office sent out a press release announcing the consideration of a walkout. (Claire Withycombe/Oregon Capital Bureau) Senate Republicans are considering staging a…
Cap and trade withstands a lengthy floor debate to pass the House
Rep. Karin Power, D-Milwaukie, carries House Bill 2020 on the floor Monday night. (Claire Withycombe/Oregon Capital Bureau) After months of committee hearings, House Republicans relished their final opportunity to pepper Democrats over their proposed legislation to cap greenhouse gas. They took to the floor to…
DOME DIGEST: Immigrants rights, drunk driving and youth suicide
SALEM — These bills might not make headlines, but they may make a difference to Oregonians all the same. Each of these bills passed their last hurdle this week and now head next to Gov. Kate Brown for her signature. READING RAINBOW: Patients who aren’t…
Consultants step on the pedal to speed up Oregon’s fixes for foster kid system
SALEM — Outside consultants are pushing dramatic, immediate changes to fix Oregon’s foster care system. The Department of Human Services has been unable to resolve problems in the long-troubled system charged with lifting thousands of Oregon kids out of abuse and neglect. Nearly two months…
A proposed tobacco tax springs to life, though this time it’s in a referral to voters
A proposed tobacco tax hike that was dormant for months was suddenly revived Thursday. Lawmakers were able to amend it to a more palatable version, with the main change being that it will go to the voters. House Bill 2270 passed out of the House…
Air horns of protest can’t stall legislative action on climate bill
Log truck drivers rallied at the Capitol on Wednesday to protest House Bill 2020, which will implement a cap and trade program. Despite their presence, the bill passed out of its final committee 13-8. It will get a vote in the House on Monday. (Claire…