Oregon lawmakers rush to pass bills backlogged by GOP walkout before end of session

By CLAIRE RUSH
Associated Press/Report for America

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon lawmakers are rushing to approve hundreds of bills and a budget for the next two years before the legislative session ends on Sunday. The bills were stalled by the six-week Republican walkout that ended last week. On Wednesday and Thursday alone, the state House and Senate voted on more than 200 bills. The measures passed span an array of issues, from wildfire protection to bolstering mental health and addiction treatment. The frantic pace caps a session marked by the longest walkout in the Oregon Legislature’s history. The Republican boycott stemmed from two bills relating to guns, and abortion and gender-affirming care, respectively.