Oregon Senate leaders drop plan to collect fines from Republicans who walked out
The Oregon Senate leadership is dropping its effort to collect $3,500 in fines from each of the Republican senators who participated in a walkout last session, refusing for more than a week to show up.
It's a move Democrats are making so they can pivot and, instead, ask voters to change quorum rules so the Legislature can be in session with a simple majority of lawmakers.
The change, which would require voter approval of a constitutional amendment, is aimed at preventing future walkouts in which a minority party can stall the Legislature by denying a quorum.
Current rules require a two-thirds majority, or 20 senators of the 30-member upper chamber to conduct business. That's how 11 Republican senators were able to wage a successful walkout that helped kill a carbon emissions cap-and-trade bill backed by Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Kate Brown.
Read more: https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2019/08/23/oregon-senate-drops-plan-to-collect-fines-from-republicans-who-walked-out-salem/2099522001/
(Salem Statesman Journal)
