Oregon lawmakers convene in Salem next week for the 2024 legislative session. We checked in with our political reporter Dirk VanderHart for a preview. He spoke with KLCC’s Rachael McDonald.
Rachael McDonald: One of the big priorities for lawmakers this session is to reform Measure 110, the voter-approved initiative that decriminalized possession of small amounts of drugs. What are some of the leading proposals for changing that law?
Dirk VanderHart: Well, Democrats have previewed a pretty sweeping bill that will have a big impact on that decriminalization policy, most dramatically because it would end it. So, the proposal top Democrats have put forward would make possession of small amounts of drugs a low level misdemeanor instead of a violation under current law. Lawmakers say that's a necessary step. They believe police officers need more forceful tools. As you know, fentanyl addiction creates all sorts of problems around the state. Democrats also want to expand services and try to ensure that people who run across police are being offered treatment rather than being taken to jail. But the central piece of this debate really will be about whether or not to end Oregon's decriminalization experiment. Plenty of advocacy groups say that would be a huge mistake. But on the other side, there are Republicans and law enforcement organizations who argue that the bill Democrats are floating is actually not tough enough. So we expect a lot of argument about that.
McDonald: You reported this week that Gov. Tina Kotek has said she’s open to approving significant changes to the law, which is new. What do you think shifted her stance?
VanderHart: The governor, like, I think, most elected Democrats has really been moved on this issue by the emergency of fentanyl, as I mentioned, and the impact it's having. You know, we have seen fatal overdoses in far greater numbers in the state in recent years. We are seeing more public drug use in cities, and police have really been making this case that they don't have enough tools or authority to meaningfully curb some of that stuff under Measure 110 as it exists. Democrats for a long time have argued that the state just needs time to increase its treatment services and offerings before it even thinks about changes to decriminalization. And Kotek was very much of that opinion when she ran for governor in 2022. But now they've concluded, I think, more action is necessary. So that's what you're seeing here.
McDonald: Last year, Senate Republicans staged their longest walkout in history. And just this week, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled that the Secretary of State can, in fact, block those lawmakers from seeking re-election due to a 2022 initiative. How do you think that might affect the dynamics in the Senate this month?
So right now, there just is not much talk about a walkout. There are signs that the parties are actually communicating, which, you know, fingers crossed, would mean a relatively smooth session.
VanderHart: Yeah, it's a good question. I mean, all indications we have right now actually are that it might not have much of an impact. Senate Republicans have been signaling for months that they are willing to walk away from the session again, if they feel their voices aren't being heard by Democrats, and they'd even said prior to this Supreme Court decision that they would have little reason to show up if the court ruled against them. But, even with that dynamic in play, I think Senate Republicans are suggesting ahead of this session that their talks with Democrats so far have been productive. You know, they agree on what big issues need to be tackled in this short 35-day session, and they seem to think that they will have input on policies and budget decisions. So right now, there just is not much talk about a walkout. There are signs that the parties are actually communicating, which, you know, fingers crossed, would mean a relatively smooth session.
McDonald: Aside from Measure 110 reform, what else do you expect from this short legislative session?
VanderHart: The other major thing we expect for lawmakers to take up some pretty big housing policy. You know, housing is a focus in virtually every legislative session these days. We have a crisis here. But, Gov. Tina Kotek says her number one priority this year and, in fact, the only bill she'll introduce will be this pretty wide-ranging housing proposal that she thinks would make it easier for cities around the state to add housing. The bill includes things like a new state agency that would help cities add housing. It's got like $500 million for various priorities in different buckets. But it also includes a pretty controversial proposal that would allow cities to more easily bring land within their growth boundaries to allow for housing production. That has been controversial with Democrats in the past, it actually failed last year because Democrats didn't support it. So it's going to be hotly contested and closely watched this time around, too.
