Oregon lawmakers meet every year, for 165 days in years ending in an odd number and for 35 days in even-numbered years. That’s relatively new; voters approved the change in 2010. Now there’s talk of changing the system again.
Before the 2010 election, the Legislature met only in odd-numbered years. It could call itself into a special session if need be, and it did so from time to time, generally to handle budget crises. The short annual session was touted as a way to do away with those special sessions, a brief period every other year to address issues that couldn’t wait for the next odd-year session.
The short sessions have become something far different. This year, for example, lawmakers will again push for a cap-and-trade bill. They’ll also take up, again, the tricky issue of gun control, a bill to cut the state’s vulnerability to wildfire, and how to spend or save $1 billion in unbudgeted revenue.
Perhaps with the exception of the unbudgeted revenue, each of those topics could wait, a reality that might make the case for doing away with the biennial short session. That’s one approach. Another would be to lay out clearly, in law, what the short session is for. A third: Lengthen the short session a bit and conduct business as usual.
It’s too early to tell if lawmakers will take proposals for change seriously, but it’s a discussion worth having.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.