SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Supreme Court said Thursday that 10 Republican Sens Last year’s longest ride on record cannot run for re-election to stop bills on abortion, transgender health care and gun rights.
The decision remains in force the secretary of state’s decision to exclude senators from voting under a voter-approved measure aimed at ending such boycotts. Measure 113, passed by voters in 2022, amended the state constitution to bar legislators from re-election unless they had more than 10 unexcused absences.
Last year’s boycott lasted six weeks — the longest in state history — and brought the legislative session to a standstill. hundreds of accounts.
The Secretary of State sued five lawmakers — Senators Tim Knopp, Daniel Bonham, Suzanne Weber, Dennis Linthicum and Lynn Findley — over the Secretary of State’s decision. They were among 10 GOP senators who won more than 10 resignations.
During oral arguments Before the Oregon Supreme Court in December, attorneys for senators and lawmakers battled over the grammar and syntax of the language added to the state constitution after voters approved Measure 113.
The amendment states that a deputy is not allowed to run for “a post-election term after the expiration of a member’s current term.” The senators argued that the amendment would allow them to run for another term because a senator’s term expires in January, while elections are held the previous November. They argue that the sentence does not take effect immediately, but rather after another period of time.
The two sides also battled over minor differences that appeared on the actual ballot that voters filled out and on the wording of the measure included in the voter pamphlet.
A vote in favor of the measure would disqualify lawmakers with 10 or more unexcused absences for “the term beyond the current term,” the ballot paper said. As in the text of the event in the brochure, the word “election” is not included here. What appeared in the pamphlet was eventually added to the state constitution.
The state argued that in voting yes to support the measure, voters meant to bar lawmakers with so many turnouts from running for office after their current terms expire.
The senators’ lawsuit was filed last August against Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade, who said there were senators boycotting. was deprived of the right to re-election. He instructed the election department of his office to implement an administrative rule based on his position.
All parties involved in the lawsuit tried to clarify the issue before the March 2024 application deadline for candidates who want to participate in this year’s election.
The 2023 strike paralyzed the Legislature for weeks and ended only after Republicans compromised with Democrats on a sweeping bill to expand access to abortion and transgender health care, and another measure on the manufacture and transfer of undetectable firearms known as ghost guns.
Oregon voters approved Measure 113 by wide margins in 2019, 2020 and 2021 after Republican performances in the Legislature.