If you're not here or don't hear about Oregon politics: It's wild. GOP lawmakers in Oregon's Senate have been on a walkout to prevent abortion protections and other Democratic priorities from passing. But Oregon voters passed a ballot measure last year making any legislator that does this ineligible to run again.
A victory for the RCV campaign in November 2024 would be a significant breakthrough for voting justice, as it would liberate voters in Oregon from being required to vote for just one candidate.
Now, after scandals involving their use of hotel rooms and out-of-state private facilities, state officials have landed on a new — but still trouble-ridden — approach: They are paying a #religiousnonprofit more than 100 times the amount they pay foster care parents to watch children in unregulated short-term rental homes.
GOP bills in the #Oregon Legislature:
SB1536 - impose a 15 week abortion ban.
HB4037 - make gender-affirming care for youth illegal.
HB4054 - allow discrimination against trans athletes.
SB1589 - attack our vote-by-mail system and make it harder for people to vote.
Contact your state representatives and make it clear a majority of Oregonians oppose these bills.
Does it make #BarburBlvd more inviting to bike on, knowing that a pedestrian was killed while walking in this missing bike lane, and they blamed the driver and nothing has changed? "Safety is job one", right after they get five car lanes in. #ODOTGTFOpdx#Vision60or70something#Portland#ORpol
Hey, just in case anyone in my extended #Oregon family (hi y'all!) doesn't already know: Republican Jeff Gudman has switched parties and is running in the #DemocraticPrimary as a Democrat this year, after getting iced in the general election (running as the Republican candidate) a few times over the past decade. Don't fall for the lie - please support the actual Democrat running against him for State Treasurer, Elizabeth Steiner. #Portland#JeffGudman#ElizabethSteiner#ORPol
🚨 oh yay the R's will come back to #ORleg for bi-partisan fascism. 🙄 This is the one that makes protesting illegal. #ORpol
"Even though the Republican walk out has created uncertainty as to whether any new legislation will be passed this session, because HB 2772 has bipartisan support, we believe that its passage could unfortunately be a priority in any deal that brings Republican Senators back to the legislature."
🚨 STOP ODOT’S BACKROOM HEIST, HELP US RIGHT-SIZE INTERSTATE BRIDGE INVESTMENT
The freeway lobbyists have included a $1 billion allocation of General Obligation Bond funds for the proposed Interstate Bridge Replacement in an amendment to House Bill 5005. This amendment dropped over the holiday weekend, a day before two work session votes on the legislation, the week before session ends. #ORleg#ORpol#NoMoreFreeways#ClimateAction#Portland#pdxBikes
"House Bill 2426 would require gas stations to staff at least half of their open pumps for people who want assistance. But it would allow other pumps to be open for self-service."
The #Oregon legislative session just ended. Linked is an OPB article summarizing some of the action. One bill that passed that I didn’t know about but am looking forward to is a ban on styrofoam takeout containers and foam coolers beginning in 2025.
Did you miss my ride about #Portland's five layers of govt and #STARvoting on the hottest Sunday of the summer? Come to the Hottest Sunday of the Fall Govt and Voting ride! #pdxBikes#bikeFun#ORpol#pdx An easy ride along the river and back through inner SE, starting from City Hall at 11:30am.
"The Oregon #MotorVoter (OMV) registration law took effect on January 1, 2016, making #Oregon the first state in the nation to implement automatic #voterRegistration [for drivers]" and then they mail you a ballot, but how do we get non-drivers to vote? #pdxBikes#ORpol
When searching for an informative link on this law, most of the search hits I got were from, to put it mildly, organizations I disagree with. Use the tools you have, because the other side definitely will.
How is #ORpol going to legalize ebikes for kids, before the earth catches fire, while only getting about half of a session into every two years? Do we need to do more of this stuff by ballot initiative?
#STARvoting now hiring signature gatherers in #Portland/ #pdx metro area, in coalition with "Get Big Money out of Politics" and the "Oregon People's Rebate" Universal Basic Income initiative. #UBI#BasicIncome#votingReform#CampaignFinance#democracy#ORpol (paid canvassers would carry all 3 petitions.) Learn more about STAR voting at Oregon Chapter Meeting Wed at 6pm online starvoting.org/events
"As currently written, HB 4103:
...would restrict some of the most affordable #eBike styles to [16yo and up]
...[allows localities to] ban the use of certain e-bikes from accessing multi-use paths and trails
...Enforcement based on e-bike class will be highly subjective and confusing for users
...Misses the mark on providing a clear definition... [cargo / 4 wheels, bigger motors]"
ODOT really hasn't changed, they don't blow up the literal whale anymore, but didn't learn any broader lessons from that episode. #ORpol#transportation#ExplodingWhale
Oregon voters will soon get to decide whether to adopt ranked choice voting statewide (www.nwprogressive.org)
A victory for the RCV campaign in November 2024 would be a significant breakthrough for voting justice, as it would liberate voters in Oregon from being required to vote for just one candidate.