Oregon Senate walkout continues, 3 senators now in violation of Measure 113

The Oregon Senate was unable to reach quorum for a 10th day, even after Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, canceled sessions Friday, Saturday and Sunday in hopes of continuing negotiations.

Three Senators have now hit 10 unexcused absences: Sen. Brian Boquist, I-Dallas; Daniel Bonham, R-Welches and Dennis Linthicum, R-Klamath Falls. Under the voter-approved Measure 113, they will now be ineligible to run for reelection.

Sen. Cedric Hayden, R-Fall Creek, would hit 10 Tuesday.

If the walkout continues, a majority of other GOP senators could hit 10 unexcused absences by Thursday.

'Just the beginning of the fight'

Senate Republic leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, has registered a new political action committee: "Oregon's 13 Defense Fund," pointing to the group's commitment to challenging the measure in court.

"In order to push extreme bills onto Oregonians, the majority party has been willing to trample our own laws and our Constitution. So because ALL Oregonians deserve and expect an accountable Legislature, we started with a respectful challenge of their very complex bills. They ignored us. We challenged again using the process they agreed to. They ignored us. Democrat leadership left us no choice," reads the website.

An email was sent requesting support and donations to the group.

"Please visit Oregons13.com to send the senators an email, phone call or if you are inclined support their effort as they will be blocked from running for election again by staying away. These senators need your emotional and financial support," the email reads.

In an emailed statement, Knopp said it was "just the beginning of the fight," alleging that negotiations between the two party leaders were "not done in good faith." The protest would end, he said, if Democrats agree to pass "substantially bipartisan budgets and bills" and not to move forward "an extreme, unlawful and unconstitutional agenda."

"Democrat leadership offered no solutions to rectify the constitutional and legal dilemma we raised and are instead aiding and abetting a culture of corruption," he added.

Behind the walkout: Abortion, gender-affirming care bill heads to the Oregon Senate

Republicans maintain that bills are being passed despite failing to comply with little-known rules and statutes, particularly on requiring bill summaries to be written to reach a score of at least 60 on the Flesch readability test − essentially requiring them to be written in plain language that most adults could understand.

The walkout has also stalled two high-profile Democratic bills that would expand protections for abortion and gender-affirming care, and add gun restrictions.

Democrats have gone too far, added Bonham in the statement.

Disappointment from Democratic leaders

Wagner gave remarks from the rostrum following the failed quorum call Monday expressing his disappointment with the continued failure to conduct business and barring the Oregon Legislature from doing the "very important work before us this session," including finalizing a new budget.

A new revenue forecast is set to be released on Wednesday.

He said he spent the weekend reflecting on his service in the Senate and spoke of the speeches from 2001's House majority leader Karen Minnis and 2020's Senate president Peter Courtney who saw the most recent and frequent iterations of walkouts in the Oregon Legislature.

The controversy: Hearing set for Oregon gun bills that would raise age limits, allow bans in public buildings

Wagner echoed the warnings both Minnis and Courtney delivered following walkouts at the time, cautioning that walkouts would become expected if they continued to be accepted. It's why voters passed Measure 113 as a "clear directive from Oregonians" to their elected officials, Wagner said.

“The voters were clear: Walking out on our democracy is not an option. I am deeply saddened for my colleagues. After extensive good faith negotiations, Republican leadership failed to protect three of their members and the communities who elected them," Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber, D – Beaverton & SW Portland, said in a statement.

Secretary of State still developing Measure 113 protocol

With the disqualification of at least three senators, eyes turn to the enforcement of Measure 113.

The ballot explanation filed with the SOS office reads: A candidate may run for office in the next primary and general elections and win, but cannot hold office under this measure due to 10 or more unexcused absences.

According to Ben Morris from the Secretary of State's Office, the office holds the position that Measure 113 is a "qualification issue to be enforced at the candidacy stage by the filing officer" meaning that a lawmaker in violation of the measure would be barred from filing to run for office at the next election.

Filing officers won't allow a candidate on the ballot if they know the candidate won't qualify for office, he said.

"We believe it should be enforced at the candidate stage," he wrote in an email to the Statesman.

The office's elections division monitors all legislation and measures that impact candidate qualifications and keeps a checklist of the qualifications for each position in which they are the filing officer, he added.

A specific process for Measure 113 qualification, however, is still in progress, according to Morris.

Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com or on Twitter @DianneLugo

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon Senate walkout: 3 senators ineligible for reelection