SALEM, Ore. — Oregon's 2022 short legislative session kicked off Tuesday, Feb. 1.
The biannual short sessions last only 35 days. They are held during even years, typically dealing with issues that cannot wait until the long session held in odd-numbered years. The long session lasts as long as 160 days, and hammers out the next two-year budget.
As many as 300 people gathered at the Capitol to protest mask and vaccine mandates. Some tried to enter the Capitol without masks, but were stopped by Oregon State Troopers.
Inside the Capitol, business continued as usual.
Lawmakers have as much as $2 billion of taxpayer money to allocate during the session, an astounding amount to longtime lawmakers like Senate President Peter Courtney.
“We have so much money in the budget, I just hope we can find ways to spend it all over the state. Not just one area of the state. Because of fire and drought and homelessness – all big issues – and this school closure thing. I think we have to look at our budget and make sure whatever it takes, we keep those schools open. It's got to happen,” he said.
Gov. Kate Brown wants $500 million saved for a rainy day fund, and $200 million spent for workforce training focused on healthcare, manufacturing and construction.
Other proposals include:
- $200 million dollars to expand high speed internet access to areas of the state that don't have it
- $400 million for more affordable housing and more relief payments for renters and landlords
- $120 million to move Portland’s Harriet Tubman Middle School to make way for an expansion of Interstate 5
- $100 million to convert the Elliot State Forest in the Coast Range into an Oregon State University research forest
Republicans, who are outnumbered by Democrats in both Oregon’s House and Senate, want more money spent on law and order. Recent polls show voters agree.
“I mean, people are feeling it. When you have almost 90 murders in Portland, we got drug cartels in southern Oregon taking over and growing illegal marijuana, we have to do something and funding for police is a big part of that,” said Dru Draper, communications director for Senate Republicans.
The Oregon House has a new Speaker: Dan Rayfield from Corvallis now holds the powerful position after Tina Kotek unexpectedly resigned to focus on her campaign for governor.
Rayfield said public safety will come with more investment in mental health services.
“How do we reduce violence in our communities? I’m very interested in seeing how our committee chairs prioritize those bills and investments as well as, again, really focusing on investing into our mental and behavior health services, because both of those together really complement each other nicely,” he said.
Because of the pandemic, there are few people physically in the Capitol building. Most committee hearings are being held online. The building is open to the public but masks are required unless someone has a medical exemption.
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