Oregon voters pass Measure 113, punishing lawmakers for walkouts

The Oregon Capitol building is behind construction fencing in October 2022.

Measure 113 would punish Oregon lawmakers who rack up more than 10 unexcused absences.

Oregon lawmakers who boycott the state Capitol for an extended period to kill legislation they oppose could now face a penalty, after voters approved Measure 113.

Voters backed the concept 68% to 32% in partial returns tallied as of 10 p.m. Tuesday.

The ballot measure amends the state constitution so that going forward, any lawmaker with at least 10 unexcused absences will be disallowed from serving in the Legislature during the subsequent term.

Republicans used walkouts in 2019 and 2020 to kill Democrats’ greenhouse gas cap-and-trade plans and to kill vaccine and gun regulation bills. Lawmakers from both parties have used walkouts during the redistricting process in which lawmakers draw new legislative and congressional districts: Republicans in 2021 and Democrats two decades ago.

Party caucuses have been able to effectively use walkouts as a political tool in Oregon because the state is one of just four in the nation, along with Indiana, Tennessee and Texas, that requires two-thirds of lawmakers to be present to hold votes on bills. All other states require no more than half of lawmakers to be present. Measure 113 will not change Oregon’s high quorum requirement.

With Democratic supermajorities in the state House and Senate and a Democratic governor, walkouts were one of the few tactics that minority Republicans had available to block Democrats from passing their policy priorities.

OREGON ELECTION 2022: Live Results Page | Election page

Public employee unions and other groups that tend to support Democratic candidates spearheaded and funded the effort to get Measure 113 on the ballot. They spent $1.7 million on signature-gathering and reported spending more than $100,000 on the campaign to pass it.

There was no organized opposition to Measure 113, and a lobbyist for manufacturers that opposed the cap-and-trade plan told The Oregonian/OregonLive that it made more sense this year for the industry to focus on electing more Republicans to the Legislature.

Republican campaign strategists say this election has given them their best shot at gaining power in the state House and Senate in years. And in the past three weeks, the Oregon Manufacturers’ PAC has given $60,000 to Republicans in six competitive legislative races.

Legislative leaders from the majority party decide when to grant fellow lawmakers excused absences from floor votes.

— Hillary Borrud

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