Capital gossip: The calm before the political storm in the legislation of Oregon

Parking spaces are opened around the Oregon Capitol. Legislative committees cancel unnecessary meetings. The legislator of Oregon 2025 lives in relative calm and waits for the political storms.

So rep. Jami CateR-Lebanon, said the Capitol “Has a short moment of the relative calm. But do not make a mistake in which the action is not the end of the campaign. Many of the best-known invoices of the session, including those who deal with taxes, firearms and other splitting questions, remain in committees such as rules, income and ways in bottles.”

Friday is the 109th day of the legislative period. It is also a deadline for planning working sessions for many bills that remain alive. Otherwise you will also die – more or less.

Nothing is safe Until the legislature, who, according to the constitution of Oregon, can be by 160th day, Sunday, June 29.

As Dirk Vanderhart By Oregon Public Broadcasting reported this week“The legislators of Oregon have fallen in love with so-called” placeholder “laws, and that has problems for transparency.” More than 600 were introduced this year – almost a fifth of all bills.

He wrote that “placeholder for legislators is a way to reserve their place in line – and to organize the lawyers of legislation, to design a dummy proposal that could later be completely exchanged for another idea.”

Such invoices often require a study. For example, Senate Bill 8 is an 80-word mandate that the Oregon Health Authority “examines behavioral health” and reports on the legislature by September 15, 2026.

Another study? Yeah right.

The legislation exists in legal disputes in which legislators want to do something, but the deadline is passed for the introduction of new invoices. Legislators can change their ideas “with regard to behavioral health” in SB 8. Maybe they react to the disorders Behavioral health test Published on Thursday by the Department of Audits the State Secretary.

Of course, such an action could fall into the bottom why a large part of the legislator is in a holding pattern. The quarterly economic and sales forecast, which determines how much money the legislators may spend over the next two years, will be released on Wednesday morning.

Gallup reports Three out of four Americans believe that the economy slows down either in a recession or in depression.

“We are all waiting to see the sales forecast to decide which resources will be available,” Gov. Tina Kotek said on Monday when he spoke to journalists about legislation for apartments and homelessness and other priorities.

It is beyond understanding how state economists can make an exact long-term forecast in relation to the economic decisions of the Trump administration, which affect Oregon, whose economy depends on foreign trade and thousands of workers born abroad, can make an exact long-term forecast.

Aside from that, Almost a third The state budget comes from federal funds that restrict the Trump administration.

“If the types of cuts that run through the Trump administration and the congress are destroyed by these budget cuts.” I would only hope that the congress does the right and the budgets that are important for people in their home states do not reduce budgets. “

By Monday, 3,432 measures – 3,277 bills plus other resolutions – were introduced during the legislation in 2025. The house had passed 238 bills; The Senate, 196.

With 51 days at the session, a little more than seven weeks, there is still a lot to do. The Senate and the house only last four days a week, but more than the public eye happens.

“As with Eisbergs, the visible activity is only the top – most of the actual work is done below the surface,” rep. Paul EvansD-Monmouth, wrote this week in its part of the newsletter.

“We are in the heart of the session, where we discuss, support priorities and try to create consensus. Every problem has its advocacy ecosystem coalitions, non-profit organizations and individuals who are pushing according to their reasons. While many are aimed at common values, they have their own” go-home bills “that they have said goodbye.

“That Passion is a strength – but so a challenge. Too often, advocates struggle to reconcile their vision with the realities of a limited budget, represetative government and a complex politicical moment. Painfully, that Progress ofen Comes Incrementary.

“At the moment we are working on the most difficult and divorce suggestions.”

In other words, the negotiation among the house, Senate, governor, Democrats, Republicans and various interest groups to prepare for the upcoming political storms.