PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon’s historic special session concluded Friday afternoon in Salem.
Senate President Peter Courtney said 24 bills passed, more than 600 pieces of public testimony were submitted, and over 100 people gave virtual committee testimony, in only three days.
In the last 72 hours, the state legislature passed bills that ranged from restricting police use of force to allowing people with developmental disabilities into hospitals during the pandemic.
Police reform bills include measures that limit the use of chokeholds, require officers to intervene if their colleague is being unjust or unethical and creating a statewide police discipline database. Another bill that passed prohibits law enforcement agencies from using tear gas for crowd control, except for circumstances that meet the definition of a riot.
“When we live in a time when people are demanding police reforms and are worried about how their lives have been upended by the pandemic, it was really important for us to come in and do the work together,” said House Speaker Tina Kotek.
She said the next session will be even more focused on unemployment and educational budgets.
This article was written with contributions from the Associated Press.