Opinion: Despite COVID restrictions, Oregon Legislature is open for business

Oregon state legislature convenes at Capitol

Oregon State Senators pray before convening the swearing in of the 81st Legislative Assembly at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, on January 11, 2021.Brooke Herbert/The Oregonian

Tina Kotek and Peter Courtney

Kotek, D-Portland, is speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives. Courtney, D-Salem, is president of the Oregon Senate.

Times have been more than tough for our state. Through pandemic, wildfires and unemployment, we have been forced to govern in the moment. This same urgency will define the 2021 legislative session.

Your Legislature is open for business. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, entry to the Capitol is currently limited to authorized personnel. Although we cannot take in-person public testimony during the pandemic, we are turning to technology to ensure transparency and public participation while prioritizing public health. Oregonians will be able to testify at every public hearing remotely, without having to worry about taking a day off work and driving to Salem.

Visit www.oregonlegislature.gov to find out more. Don’t have regular access to the internet? Have a different question? Call 1-800-332-2313 for assistance.

  • You can sign-up to give testimony on a bill before its public hearing begins. You can testify remotely through a live video stream or by phone.
  • Submit written testimony electronically through the legislative website. You can also continue to submit your feedback by mail.
  • Watch committee meetings and floor sessions live via the legislative website (or watch recordings when it’s more convenient). For those without internet access, viewing stations will be set up outside the Capitol.

Every state has been grappling with how to operate a legislative session during this pandemic. We have the benefit of learning from the mistakes and best practices of other states in order to avoid the outbreaks that have taken place in other capitols. Protecting the health of the public, staff and legislators is a bipartisan concern.

Additionally, one of our priorities has been to establish and fund language translation services. We are hiring two full-time positions, a language access coordinator and a staff interpreter to ensure consistent access to the legislative process for non-English speakers. This is just the start of a funded commitment to strengthen equal access to the legislative process.

We will continue to regularly reevaluate the Capitol’s public health plan in a bipartisan fashion and in consultation with health officials. If conditions improve, public entry to the Capitol will be expanded in accordance with public health protocols.

We ask for your patience, understanding and support. We have important work to do. It is critical that the Legislature hears as much as possible from Oregonians in every community. Call or email your legislators about issues that matter to you. Testify on bills that you support or oppose. We hope you will participate in the Legislature and be part of the process to solve problems for Oregonians.


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