The 2024 Oregon Legislative Session gavels in on February 5. If the past is any indication, this year’s 35-day session will be fast-paced and political. With few breaks in the action, legislators must complete their work no later than the constitutional deadline of March 10. Democrats continue to hold majorities in both the House (35 to 25) and Senate (17 to 13), although they do not have supermajorities in either chamber. This means they can advance legislation (outside of tax increases) without Republican support. If the 2023 session was a harbinger of things to come, we can expect more progressive legislation to move through the halls of the Capitol in 2024. One issue that is the subject of much speculation is whether enough Senate Republicans will attend the session to provide a quorum to advance bills. Readers will recall that the majority of Senate Republicans undertook an almost six-week-long walkout during the 2023 legislative session to deny quorum on the Senate floor and thereby prevent legislation from advancing. In walking out, many of these legislators violated Measure 114, a 2022 ballot measure barring legislators from running for office in the next election if they exceed 10 unexcused absences. A case is currently pending before They’re Back: Oregon Legislature Kicks-Off 2024 Short Session By Kevin Christiansen, SVP & Government Affairs Director, Oregon Bankers Association ADVOCACY the Oregon Supreme Court to determine if such legislators can run again. Depending upon the outcome, some Senate Republicans may choose to not attend the session and deny a quorum. Bank-specific issues do not appear to be in the legislative crosshairs during the 2024 Legislative Session. Rather, issues related to Measure 110 reform (the drug legalization measure passed by voters in 2020), homelessness and affordable housing will occupy center stage. Given the compact nature of the session, OBA will not introduce any proactive legislation. That will come in 2025, when OBA will introduce a full slate of bills during the six-month legislative session. If you have any questions about the 2024 session or specific legislation, contact me at (503) 576-4123 or kchristiansen@oregonbankers.com. Winter 2024 • BANKING MATTERS 11
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