Oregon Capital Chronicle

After walkouts, budget woes and tensions over Trump, Oregon lawmakers wrap for 2026 session • Oregon Capital Chronicle The 2026 short session began in early February and ended on Friday in a flurry of votes that will impact Oregonians across the state.

For the first time in years, Oregon lawmakers in Salem’s newly-reopened Capitol streamed out of the chamber floors into the rotunda to cap the end of a short legislative session that had both Republicans and Democrats claiming victories. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/06/a...

Live updates: 2026 legislative session draws to a close • Oregon Capital Chronicle After just more than a month of long meetings, sharp disagreements and hard-fought compromises, the Oregon Legislature must adjourn by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Capital Chronicle reporters have been at the C...

That's it for the #orleg session, and our live blog. Stay tuned for a full wrapup this evening. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/06/l...

Live updates: 2026 legislative session draws to a close • Oregon Capital Chronicle After just more than a month of long meetings, sharp disagreements and hard-fought compromises, the Oregon Legislature must adjourn by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Capital Chronicle reporters have been at the C...

Gutted gun bill passes House, and more live updates from our team: oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/06/l...

BREAKING: U.S. District Judge Amy Baggio on Friday granted a preliminary injunction sought by residents of Gray's Landing by the Portland ICE facility. This bars federal agents from using tear gas and other chemical munitions at a level that is "likely to reach" the affordable housing complex.

Oregon Legislature votes to round pennies after lack of federal guidance • Oregon Capital Chronicle If Gov. Tina Kotek signs the bill, vendors will be able to round cash and mixed purchases as the federal government stops producing pennies

Oregonians who pay in cash could pay a couple cents more or less under a bill headed to Gov. Tina Kotek.

Live updates: 2026 legislative session draws to a close • Oregon Capital Chronicle After just more than a month of long meetings, sharp disagreements and hard-fought compromises, the Oregon Legislature must adjourn by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Capital Chronicle reporters have been at the C...

Oregon House gives final approval to Moda Center funding, and more updates from our live blog: oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/06/l...

Oregon lawmakers increase lodging tax to boost wildlife funding • Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon lawmakers have voted to increase the state’s lodging tax in order to help fund wildlife conservation. The measure is expected to bring in roughly $37 million per year by raising the state’s…

Oregon lawmakers have voted to increase the state’s lodging tax in order to help fund wildlife conservation.

Oregon bill to limit how much THC goes into each edible fails • Oregon Capital Chronicle An attempt to limit how much THC can be in an individual edible isn’t advancing this year in the Oregon Legislature.

An attempt to limit how much THC can be in an individual edible isn’t advancing this year in Oregon.

Live updates: 2026 legislative session draws to a close • Oregon Capital Chronicle After just more than a month of long meetings, sharp disagreements and hard-fought compromises, the Oregon Legislature must adjourn by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Capital Chronicle reporters have been at the C...

The Senate comes to the floor in a few minutes for the likely final day of the 2026 legislative session, with the House folloing a few hours later. Follow along with our reporters and editor here: oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/06/l...

Live updates: 2026 legislative session draws to a close • Oregon Capital Chronicle After just more than a month of long meetings, sharp disagreements and hard-fought compromises, the Oregon Legislature must adjourn by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Capital Chronicle reporters have been at the…

The Senate is adjourned until 9 a.m. and the House until 11 a.m. tomorrow, the likely final day of the legislative session. Our team will continue covering the session until the end, and you can follow along here.
oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/05/l...

Oregon Legislature votes to give cities, counties flexibility in tourism revenue • Oregon Capital Chronicle The Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 4148 to reduce the share of transient lodging tax that must be used for tourism promotion or tourism-related facilities from 70% to 50% and let cities and…

“My communities are drowning,” Sen. Suzanne Weber, R-Tillamook, told colleagues as she urged them to vote for a bill giving local governments more flexibility in how to spend lodging taxes. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/05/o...

Live updates: 2026 legislative session draws to a close • Oregon Capital Chronicle After just more than a month of long meetings, sharp disagreements and hard-fought compromises, the Oregon Legislature must adjourn by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Capital Chronicle reporters have been at the C...

Changes to campaign finance clear Senate on a 20-9 vote, @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social reports in our #orleg live blog. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/05/l...

Trump's second tariff push faces immediate legal challenge from two dozen states • Oregon Capital Chronicle Two dozen states sue to block Trump's new tariffs, calling the 1974 law he's relying on archaic and misapplied

Oregon, Arizona, California and New York are leading a lawsuit to block President Donald Trump's new tariff attempt, saying he's relying on an archaic and misapplied 1974 law.

Raiders of the lost dedicated funds • Oregon Capital Chronicle Money, from taxes, fees and other sources, often comes to governments with strings attached.

Pull a dollar bill out of your wallet and you can trust that dollar will spend like any other. And if you think the story ends there, you’re obviously not a government accountant, columnist Randy Stapilus writes.

Live updates: 2026 legislative session draws to a close • Oregon Capital Chronicle After just more than a month of long meetings, sharp disagreements and hard-fought compromises, the Oregon Legislature must adjourn by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Capital Chronicle reporters have been at the C...

House passes campaign finance changes, recesses until 2:30. Senate is set to return at 1. More live updates: oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/05/l...

Oregon Senate waters down controversial gun control bill, winning Republican support • Oregon Capital Chronicle Democrats during the short legislative session pushed aggressively to move a more wide-ranging gun control bill through the House.

Oregon state senators on Thursday gutted this year’s legislation to bolster the rollout of a 2022 voter-approved gun control law currently being litigated, despite Democrats expending significant political capital to push a wide-ranging firearm safety bill through the House.

Live updates: 2026 legislative session draws to a close • Oregon Capital Chronicle After just more than a month of long meetings, sharp disagreements and hard-fought compromises, the Oregon Legislature must adjourn by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Capital Chronicle reporters have been at the C...

More legal pathways for the wrongfully convicted passes House, @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social reports in our live blog. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/05/l...

Oregon lawmakers propose deal to acquire Abiqua Falls in Santiam State Forest • Oregon Capital Chronicle A popular waterfall located an hour east of Salem could soon become public property under a bill up in the Oregon Legislature.

A popular waterfall located an hour east of Salem could soon become public property under a bill up for a vote this week in the Oregon Legislature.

BREAKING: Kristi Noem out as DHS secretary; Trump to tap Oklahoma Sen. Mullin • Oregon Capital Chronicle WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump Thursday said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will be leaving the post for a job as a special envoy, following an appearance before a U.S. Senate panel…

BREAKING from our DC bureau: Kristi Noem out as DHS secretary; Trump to tap Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/05/r...

Live updates: 2026 legislative session draws to a close • Oregon Capital Chronicle After just more than a month of long meetings, sharp disagreements and hard-fought compromises, the Oregon Legislature must adjourn by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Capital Chronicle reporters have been at the C...

A bill that would make it a felony to threaten public officials or their families with the intent to cause alarm appears to be dead, @shaanthx.bsky.social reports for our live blog.

oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/05/l...

Live updates: 2026 legislative session draws to a close • Oregon Capital Chronicle After just more than a month of long meetings, sharp disagreements and hard-fought compromises, the Oregon Legislature must adjourn by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Capital Chronicle reporters have been at the C...

Fate of campaign finance bill anyone’s guess, @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social reports in our #orleg live blog.
oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/05/l...

Live updates: 2026 legislative session draws to a close • Oregon Capital Chronicle After just more than a month of long meetings, sharp disagreements and hard-fought compromises, the Oregon Legislature must adjourn by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Capital Chronicle reporters have been at the…

The #orleg session is drawing to an end in the next few days, and our live blog is up to help you keep up with the news. Follow along here for updates from reporters @miamaldonado.bsky.social, @shaanthx.bsky.social and @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social and editor @jmshumway.bsky.social buff.ly/9UymuGV

Good governance groups to take campaign finance to ballot if lawmakers adopt ‘loopholes’ • Oregon Capital Chronicle Good governance groups that two years ago negotiated a historic campaign finance law with the Oregon Legislature now say lawmakers have betrayed them by backing a “technical fix” bill to that law…

Good governance groups that two years ago negotiated a historic campaign finance law with the Oregon Legislature now say lawmakers have betrayed them by backing a “technical fix” bill to that law that instead creates “huge loopholes” to political spending limits. buff.ly/O531HX3

Oregon legislators clear the way for more residential, farmworker housing in Woodburn • Oregon Capital Chronicle On Wednesday, the Oregon Legislature cleared a path for the city of Woodburn to build more affordable housing.

On Wednesday, the Oregon Legislature cleared a path for the city to build more affordable housing.

US Senate rejects limits on Trump war powers, as Hegseth vows ‘death and destruction’ for Iran • Oregon Capital Chronicle WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans and a single Democrat blocked a War Powers Resolution Wednesday aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s joint war with Israel in Iran that has taken the lives of…

Senate Republicans and a single Democrat blocked a War Powers Resolution Wednesday aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s joint war with Israel in Iran that has taken the lives of six American troops and killed top Iranian leaders. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/04/r...

Oregon to nix cervical cancer diagnostic testing costs for patients, rest of US may follow suit • Oregon Capital Chronicle Dr. Carrie Frederick can think of many instances over her 14 years in practice in Oregon when patients tried to negotiate their way out of diagnostic testing for cervical cancer because of the…

Oregon is set to become the first state in the country to require insurers to cover those costs for cervical cancer patients, and that policy could expand nationwide if a new federal regulation  takes effect at the start of next year.

Talarico wins Democratic primary for US Senate in Texas; Cornyn and Paxton go to GOP runoff • Oregon Capital Chronicle In a critical 2026 battle for control of the U.S. Senate, The Associated Press early Wednesday declared James Talarico the winner of the Democratic primary in Texas, while incumbent Republican Sen.…

In a critical 2026 battle for control of the U.S. Senate, The Associated Press early Wednesday declared James Talarico the winner of the Democratic primary in Texas, while incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton will compete in a runoff election.

Republican petitioners sue Oregon over law rescheduling gas tax referendum • Oregon Capital Chronicle Leaders of a petition to pause gas tax and transportation fee hikes until a citizen vote are suing Oregon over a law rescheduling that vote.

Republican leaders of a successful petition to pause gas tax and transportation fee hikes until a citizen vote are suing the state over a new law rescheduling that vote. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/03/r...

Coastal Oregon conservative announces run for U.S. Senate  • Oregon Capital Chronicle Sen. David Brock Smith of Port Orford says he's focused on working families, public safety, addiction and homelessness.

A southern Oregon state senator announced Tuesday that he would seek the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate.

Oregon Working Families Party, state’s largest teachers union decline to endorse in governor’s race • Oregon Capital Chronicle The Oregon Education Association in 2022 endorsed then-candidate Tina Kotek for governor, but members recently voted not to endorse her again.

UPDATED: The Oregon Working Families Party joined the state’s largest teachers union in declining to endorse Gov. Tina Kotek for reelection, with the caveat that things could change by the time it nominates candidates in August.