Current Events: Oregon’s Current Legislative Session

Oregon’s Legislative Branch of government makes laws, its Executive Branch carries out these laws, and the Judicial Branch interprets laws. This separation of powers provides checks and balances, to avoid any one part of the government becoming too powerful.

Constitution Article IV, Section 1 of the Oregon Constitution states, “The legislative power of the state, except for the initiative and referendum powers reserved to the people, is vested in a Legislative Assembly, consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives.” Article IV, Section 8 requires legislators to be United States citizens, at least 21 years of age, and residents of the legislative district from which they were elected for at least one year. There are 60 members of the State House, elected for two-year terms, and 30 members of the State Senate, elected to serve for four-year terms. Oregon’s legislature is considered a citizen’s assembly, where most members have jobs apart from their elected position. Originally, the assembly gathered in Salem every two years. As the population increased, this frequency proved inadequate for handling the state’s business. Voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2010 which established a long session of 160 days in odd-numbered years, and a 30-day ‘short’ session in even-numbered years.

Proposed laws are called bills. If they are approved by both the House and Senate, they pass and become ‘enrolled’, then head to the Governor’s desk for signature to become a law. There are several steps to this process, with deadlines along the way that can kill a bill. For example, a bill this year must be assigned a hearing date in the first chamber by March 21st; ff it survives and is approved by one chamber, it must be heard in the second chamber by May 9th. The end of this year’s session is planned for June 18, 2025, but there is also built-in overtime period until June 29, 2025, when the legislature adjourns.

Oregonians can find the Legislative Assembly’s daily schedule here, along with how to track bills, submit testimony, see what issues are coming up in committee hearings, and more. Find information on the leaders of each chamber, party numbers, and committee names at Ballotpedia here. Democrats currently hold a super-majority in both chambers, giving them the three-fifths majority needed to increase taxes or pass new taxes without Republican support, should they choose to use it.

The resources below help students follow what’s happening in their state government and CLP’s lesson plan walks students through how to follow a bill through the legislative process.

Essential Questions:

What is the role of our state legislative branch?
How do the Oregon state House and Senate function?
How does a bill become a law in Oregon?
What are current issues state legislators are working to solve?
In your opinion, what is the most important issue to address this year?

Vocabulary:

legislature: also called legislative assembly, a group of people who are responsible for making laws for a country or state
legislation: laws, or the process of making laws, or the actions of any elected body (bills, resolutions, revised statutes)
legislator: a lawmaker, an elected representative of either the House or the Senate
bill: a proposed law
bicameral legislature: a legislature divided into two chambers, or houses. In Oregon’s case, called the House of Representatives and the Senate.
legislative testimony: a formal statement made by a witness or organization before a legislative committee. It is a sworn statement of facts that can be presented orally or in writing.