Oregon legislature

Oregon could soon have a commission that would promote industrial hemp and fund research into the crop.

An Oregon lawmaker made her pitch Monday for a bill that would double the penalties for people convicted of rioting if they are wearing a mask at the time of the riot.

Oregon parents have until February 19 to have their children up-to-date on their immunizations or claim an exemption.

The Oregon Department of Transportation is warning drivers of possible delays around the state Thursday as hundreds of trucks head toward the state capitol for a rally.

A bill heard Monday in the Oregon House Judiciary Committee would require most businesses to accept cash.

Democrats in the Oregon Senate say they want to reduce the ability of lawmakers in the minority to grind legislative business to a halt.

Oregon lawmakers are returning to the state capitol starting Monday, January 13, for a final round of meetings before the 2020 legislative session kicks off next month.

Oregon drivers will pay more at the pump in the new year as the state’s gas tax is set to rise.

A new law taking effect January 1 in Oregon will ban single-use plastic bags at stores and restaurants.

Two state lawmakers from the southern Oregon coast said Tuesday that they won’t seek another term in office. Their departures will be effective in January 2021, and it means the Coos Bay area will be choosing a new state senator and a new state representative in the 2020 election.

Oregon lawmakers will return to the Capitol Monday for the first time since June. It's the first round of “Legislative Days” since the whirlwind closing days of the 2019 legislative session.

Oregon is one of five states that allows unlimited donations to state campaigns. The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled political giving is protected by the state constitution.

Oregon workers will get paid time off to care for loved ones or to welcome a new baby into the family. That’s because of a bill signed into law Friday by Democratic Gov. Kate Brown.

A new Oregon law that relaxes rules against building schools, hospitals and fire stations in tsunami zones prompted a backlash Tuesday at a meeting of seismic experts in Salem.

House Bill 3309 removes a nearly 25-year-old requirement that gives Oregon’s Department of Geology and Mineral Industries the right to deny construction of so-called “essential facilities” in coastal areas that are prone to deadly tsunamis.

As the walkout by Oregon Senate Republicans continues, longtime Eugene Democratic Sen. Floyd Prozanski says he thinks the tactic could signal a “new norm” for Oregon politics.

Senate Republicans have left the state in protest of a bill that would regulate carbon emissions. Their absence denies the majority Democrats a quorum, meaning the Senate can’t meet to vote on bills.

Oregon lawmakers have less than three weeks to finish their work during the current legislative session. With the clock counting down, they have a long list of items still on their agenda.

Chief among the unfinished work at the capitol are budget bills for most of the state’s largest agencies, including the Department of Human Services, the Oregon Health Authority, and the Department of Corrections. In Oregon, each agency gets its own separate two-year budget. There's no overarching budget bill that covers all functions of state government.

Democratic legislative leaders are pushing a measure that could make Oregon the first state in the nation to adopt statewide rent control. 

Oregon lawmakers approved a gun control measure Thursday expanding the number of people who are prohibited from buying firearms if they have stalking or domestic violence convictions.