PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — If Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner hadn’t canceled Friday’s session, it would mark the 10th day that Oregon’s Republican state senators have walked out in protest of policies backed by the Democratic majority. But on the ninth day, a coalition advocating for the bills threatened by the walkout launched a protest of its own.
On Thursday, over 100 advocates with organizations such as Basic Rights Oregon, Oregon Education Association and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon gathered outside of the Capitol building in Salem to rally.
The demonstrators called on Oregon Republicans to “get back to work” during the legislative session that is set to close on Sunday, June 25.
This isn’t the first time that lawmakers have staged a stalemate so that certain legislation doesn’t pass, but Measure 113 was passed last November to prevent this from occurring again.
The measure deems lawmakers with 10 or more unexcused absences ineligible for re-election, but KOIN 6 previously reported that the affected GOP leaders would challenge that rule in court.
Jennifer Parrish Taylor, director of advocacy and public policy at Urban League of Portland, is one advocate for Measure 113 who spoke at Thursday’s rally.
“With Measure 113, voters sent a clear message that lawmakers need to show up and do their job,” she said. “When legislators walk out on the job, they are walking out on constituents, on families, on patients, on workers, and on all Oregonians; folks who don’t have the privilege of being able to miss work.”
Other demonstrators discussed the particular policies that are being thwarted by the Republican senator walkout, including House Bills 2002 and 2005.
HB 2002 expands reproductive rights and gender-affirming healthcare, while HB 2005 focuses on preventing gun violence.
“I’m incredibly worried for the patients and doctors in states where politicians are inserting themselves into these deeply personal medical decisions,” Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Steiner said of HB 2002. “When the people of Oregon voted to put Democrats in the majority last year, they voted for our priorities – and that included protecting reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights.”
Hilary Uhlig, the state chapter leader of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, chimed in on HB 2005. She said Oregon legislators should return to work to discuss the measure because gun violence is an issue that affects everyone regardless of political party.
Oregon’s Democratic and Republican leaders had meetings scheduled on Thursday and Friday to discuss a potential end to the boycott, but the lawmakers haven’t announced any successful negotiations yet.