Oregon legislature

An Oregon legislative committee advanced a Democratic plan to raise more tax revenue from corporations and wealthy individuals. The House Revenue committee passed the plan on Wednesday, sending it to the House floor. The plan proposes raising $275 million in additional revenue to balance the state budget.Read More »

The Oregon Legislature will begin hearing public testimony on a proposal that would grant short-term driver's licenses to people who live in the country illegally. A Senate committee on Thursday will begin considering Senate Bill 833.Read More »

The Oregon Senate has passed a bill that would loosen a new state policy that requires schools to erase Native American logos from uniforms, sports fields, trophy cases and other items. Under the bill passed Wednesday by the Senate, schools would be able to keep Native American mascots if they don't bother local tribes.Read More »

The budget committee of the Oregon Legislature has approved a Democratic effort to curb pension benefits to the full Senate. The committee supported the legislation in a party-line vote Friday. Republicans objected, saying the savings are too small to effectively deal with rising pension costs. They also objected to plans to push $350 million worth of payments into future years.Read More »

Gov. John Kitzhaber has called for expanding gun sale background checks and for new restrictions on carrying guns in elementary and secondary schools as Oregon's Legislature began hearing testimony on gun control bills. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday began hearings on a package of four gun bills.Read More »

Some Oregon lawmakers are prepared to block land use laws to land an electronics factory that would invest more than $1 billion and employ at least 1,000 workers. The Oregonian reports Hillsboro is reportedly one of three finalists for the unannounced project known as Project Azalea. Sen.Read More »

Today, the Oregon Senate Committee on Health Care and Human Services is holding a 3 p.m. hearing on Senate Bill 490, legislation introduced by Planned Parenthood.Read More »

Oregon legislators are considering a bill to turn the state fair over to an independent public corporation. The move is another attempt to deal with the finances of the fair and its facilities. The fair itself makes a profit, but the expenses of running its exposition center year round turn the operation into a money-loser - more than $7 million in the current two-year budget peRead More »

An Oregon Senate committee has advanced a Democratic plan to cut pension benefits for retired government workers. In a 3-2 party-line vote Thursday, the Senate Rules Committee sent the measure to the budget committee.Read More »