Oregon Republicans walk out of Senate ahead of vote on transportation referendum shift to May
By Mia Maldonado and Shaanth Nanguneri, Oregon Capital Chronicle
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Republicans in the Oregon Senate staged a walkout Wednesday afternoon ahead of a scheduled vote on a bill to reschedule a referendum on controversial transportation tax and fee increases from November to May.
Senators were scheduled to meet at 1:30 p.m., but no Republicans were present during roll call, prompting Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, to adjourn until Thursday morning. Senate Bill 1599, the proposal to move the date of the referendum, has since been listed on Thursday’s Senate agenda. While the House came to a brief standstill at the same time, four Republicans showed up, allowing lawmakers in that chamber to reach a quorum.
A spokesperson for Wagner did not immediately offer any comment, and Senate Republicans did not specifically attribute their absence to the transportation vote.
“Senate Republicans paused the process so there could be more meaningful discussions between the majority and the minority,” Ashley Kuenzi, a spokesperson for Senate Republicans, wrote in an email.
Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr, R-Dundee, and deputy leaders Cedric Hayden, R-Falls Creek, Dick Anderson, R-Lincoln City and David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford, did not immediately respond to texts and emails for comment.
The anti-tax transportation referendum has become a flash point over affordability issues in the state of Oregon, with Republicans castigating the state’s Democratic leadership for passing legislation during a fall special session to raise the gas tax, car registration and title fees and the payroll tax used for public transit.
New revenue from that legislation would have raised $791 million for the Oregon Department of Transportation’s 2025-27 budget, and raised $4.3 billion over the next decade, but the Republican-led “No Tax Oregon” campaign received enough signatures to pause those new revenue streams until a November referendum.
Republicans have portrayed the Democratic attempt to reschedule the referendum as an attempt to ensure an unpopular initiative is not on the same general election ballot as Gov. Tina Kotek and Democratic legislators.
Democrats have limited time to pass the legislation changing the referendum date, with the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office suggesting in legal guidance that the measure needs an emergency clause and signature from Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek by Feb. 25. House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, told reporters Tuesday evening that she believed the bill was “on track” to meet that deadline.
Oregon Constitution requires presence of two-thirds majority members to work
Walkouts are a way for Republicans in Oregon’s mostly Democratic legislature to prevent legislation from advancing.
Oregon lawmakers need a two-thirds majority of members present to deliberate and pass bills — an unusually high quorum requirement in comparison to most states that only require a simple majority. In the Oregon Senate, where Democrats make up 18 of 30 seats, that means it needs at least 20 members present. The House needs 40 representatives out of 60 present.
Missing 10 or more days would have consequences for Republican legislators because voters in 2022 passed a constitutional amendment barring lawmakers with 10 or more unexcused absences from seeking reelection. Three current Republican senators — Hayden, Kim Thatcher of Keizer and Suzanne Weber of Tillamook – can’t run for reelection this year because they participated in a six-week 2023 walkout over Democratic bills on abortion, gender-affirming care and guns.
Several Republicans last year staged a boycott of the Oregon House, though they were unable to deny a quorum at the time. That came after Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Gresham, raised his voice at Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany, during a heated committee hearing where the two debated how best to fund the state’s imperiled transportation system. She filed a legislative conduct complaint against him over the exchange, and Gorsek stepped down from his chairmanship.
In the House, deliberations temporarily came to a standstill despite lawmakers planning to resume session at 1:30 p.m to take up a bill that would empower Oregonians to sue federal law enforcement agents for violating their civil rights. Reps. Kevin Mannix, R-Salem, Dwayne Yunker, R-Grants Pass, Jami Cate, R-Lebanon and Greg Smith, R-Heppner, were all in attendance by around 2:10 p.m., allowing the chamber to reach a quorum. Rep. Darin Harbick, R-Rainbow, later joined his colleagues. The legislation passed by a 36-4 vote.
House Minority Leader Rep. Lucetta Elmer, R-McMinnville, could also be seen walking in and out of the chamber alongside Fahey.
Oregon Capital Chronicle editor Julia Shumway contributed to this article.
