GOP tried to shut down Oregon’s legislature to protest a trans bill. They got what’s coming to them
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Investigative Report: Oregon Supreme Court Rules 10 Republican Senators Ineligible for Re-election Following Legislative Walkout
In a landmark ruling, the Oregon Supreme Court has declared that the 10 Republican state senators who walked out of the legislature for six weeks last year cannot run for re-election. The senators utilized this walkout as a strategy to stall progress on numerous bills, including those related to transgender healthcare, abortion, and firearm reform.
The decision by the Supreme Court stems from Measure 113, a voter-approved law from 2022 that disqualifies legislators with more than 10 absences from seeking re-election after their current term ends. Last year, Oregon’s Secretary of State upheld the measure, rendering the senators ineligible for re-election. The Associated Press reported on this ruling, highlighting the potential ramifications for the senators involved.
However, five of the senators decided to challenge this ruling and took their case to the Oregon Supreme Court. They argued that the law’s wording allows them to run for another term since re-elections are scheduled for November 2024, two months prior to their current terms officially ending in January 2025. Both parties involved in the lawsuit sought a ruling before the March 2024 filing deadline for candidates seeking election.
State Sen. Tim Knopp, one of the five senators who sued, expressed his dissatisfaction with the Supreme Court’s decision. “We obviously disagree with the Supreme Court’s ruling,” Knopp stated. “But more importantly, we are deeply disturbed by the chilling impact this decision will have to crush dissent.”
The walkout initiated by the 10 Republican senators began on May 3, 2023, leaving only two members of the Republican Senate caucus behind. With their absence, the state’s 30-member senate was unable to achieve a quorum, which is the minimum number of votes required to conduct business. This walkout lasted a staggering 43 days, making it the longest in Oregon’s history.
The bills that the Republican senators aimed to stall during their walkout included HB 2002. This particular bill sought to expand the gender-affirming services covered by Medicaid and private insurance, encompassing laser hair removal and facial feminization surgery. HB 2002 also aimed to shield patients and medical providers from lawsuits originating in states where gender-affirming care and abortions have been criminalized. Additionally, the bill proposed allowing minors of any age to obtain an abortion without parental consent.
Democratic lawmakers argued that HB 2002 would safeguard patients’ privacy rights, increase access to medical care across the state, and protect doctors who perform these procedures. Conversely, Republicans expressed concerns over the potential cost to taxpayers and the potential risks faced by young patients.
Despite the Republican senators’ efforts, the Democrat-led Senate managed to pass the bill, along with hundreds of others, in just eight days during the final stretch of the legislative session in June 2023.
This is not the first time that Republican legislators in Oregon have resorted to walkout protests. Similar actions were witnessed in 2019, 2020, and 2021, leading voters to pass the 2022 law punishing such absences with a 68% to 32% vote. The recurring nature of these walkouts highlights the deep divisions within Oregon’s political landscape.
With the Supreme Court’s ruling now in place, the eligibility of the 10 Republican senators for re-election hangs in the balance. Their absence from the legislative process and their attempt to halt progress on critical bills pertaining to healthcare, abortion, and gun reform have undoubtedly sparked controversy and debate among constituents across the state. Only time will tell what impact this ruling will have on Oregon’s political landscape moving forward.
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“Oregon GOP protest trans bill”
