Oregon Democrats left the short legislative session today (Thursday) with at least two policy changes to be happy about. Governor Kate Brown signed a law that will increase the state’s minimum wage over the next five years. And lawmakers were able to approve a bill that will phase out coal fired power plants by 2030. KLCC’s Salem Correspondent Chris Lehman.
Lehman: “That’s something that Democrats say will contribute to cleaner air, but Republicans say, ‘well, it will just jack up electricity rates, and coal power is going to stick around regardless of what Oregon does.’”
One of the last bills approved in the session will double the statewide tourist lodging tax to help subsidize a world track and field championship in Eugene in 2021. The House also gave final approval of a measure allowing cities to mandate affordable housing units to be included in new developments.