Oregon Senate GOP Ends Walkout; Vote on Moving Tax Referendum Set for Friday

Overview

• Senate Republicans returned Thursday, allowing the chamber to reach a quorum after skipping Wednesday’s session that halted votes on roughly a dozen bills.
• Senators unanimously moved Senate Bill 1599 from Thursday’s docket to a Friday vote on shifting the transportation tax and fee referendum from November to May.
• The Secretary of State’s office says any date change requires an emergency clause and Gov. Tina Kotek’s signature by Feb. 25 to qualify for the May ballot.
• Republicans label the rescheduling effort partisan and said their absence aimed to prompt talks, while Democrats argue voters need a faster decision on transportation funding.
• The referred package would raise the gas tax by 6 cents, increase title and registration fees, and double the 0.1% payroll tax for transit, with backers citing a $242 million ODOT shortfall and opponents’ ‘No Tax Oregon’ campaign having paused the hikes for a statewide vote.