Cue the music, pop the champagne, because after a host of headlines and opinion pieces about legislative walkouts and subsequent legal challenges, the Oregon legislators who refused to do the people's business in the Oregon State Legislative Assembly have officially been disqualified by the state Supreme Court. Last week, the court agreed with the decision of Oregon Secretary of State Lavonne Griffin-Valade, who said the 10 senators who had more than 10 unexecused absences in the 2023 legislative session were no longer eligible to run for office in the subsequent term. Five of those legislators sued the Secretary, arguing that the language of Measure 113's constitutional amendment rendered them ineligible for office not in the "next term," but in the "next next term." You have to give them credit for creativity.
As a result of the decision, we're looking forward to legislative sessions that aren't mired by walkouts that see countless bills falling by the wayside. It's going to be refreshing.
Yet, even as there's cause to celebrate the prospect of a return to good, old-fashioned, ho-hum legislating in Salem, there's also the fact that this term, that same walkout crew has the opportunity to do the very same thing yet again in the final session of their terms. While we would hope that the senators who last week were denied the opportunity to run for office in the next election would do the right thing during the February legislative session, we'd all be forgiven for having doubts.
Will these short time legislators do the right thing and opt to serve the people, even if their votes and perspectives are not among the majority? Or will they continue the "pouting as policy" tactic that's marred the business of the people in Oregon for the past several years?
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Last session's walkouts were performed after Oregon voters had approved Measure 113 and stated fairly plainly that they didn't want legislators using walkouts as a bargaining tool — but if those senators didn't heed that warning for their own benefit, knowing they'd risk being disqualified, what's to say they're going to play nice this time around, for the benefit of the rest of us? That is what is on the minds of every single legislator who began yet another session in Salem this week.
Will these short time legislators do the right thing and opt to serve the people, even if their votes and perspectives are not among the majority? Or will they continue the "pouting as policy" tactic that's marred the business of the people in Oregon for the past several years?
If they ever hope to serve in an elected position again, this is their chance to take the high road and do some good work. Rather than opting to shut down the session over bills they don't like, vote on those bills. Show the people who elected you what you're capable of.
But if you want to prove to the courts that disqualified you that they were correct in shutting down your tantrums, keep doing more of the same. It hasn't been winning any seats as far as we can tell.
