Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 15/08/2026On the same day state Rep. Greg Smith gets hit with $12,000 in fines from the state ethics commission, House Speaker Julie Fahey pulls his role as co-chair of a key budget subcommittee. #orpol #orleg 142
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 11/03/2026State Sen. Dick Anderson, R-Lincoln City, decided not to file to run for Oregon's Labor Commissioner, despite creating a website for the purpose. (Anderson was hoping for a 1-on-1 race against Commish Christina Stephenson but another person was in the race). #orpol 110
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 02/03/2026Maybe more notable, the total estimated costs of bonding for that money, which could tack on hundreds of millions in costs. #Orleg 020
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 02/03/2026As a bill to put $365M in state funding continues to move in the Legislature, some notable numbers are emerging. That includes the first estimates for how much will be diverted from the state's general fund in coming budgets. #orleg 110
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 27/01/2026Yesterday, a union-backed campaign aimed at pushing Democrats to disconnect from the federal tax code roped in top lawmakers: Senate Prez Rob Wagner, House Speaker Julie Fahey. According to Meta those ads were active for less than an hour. #orpol #orleg 120
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 25/11/2025The campaign hoping to refer Oregon's newly passed gas tax increase to next year's ballot now says it has more than 150,000 signatures -- roughly double of what it needs. #orpol 1154
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 27/10/2025Drazan's candidate committee is already showing her in the gov's race. #orpol 140
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 09/09/2025Notable #orleg news. State Rep. Annessa Hartman, D-Gladstone, says she won't run for re-election. Instead she's seeking a seat on the Clackamas County Commission. Hartman does not have many positive things to say about legislative politics in her announcement. 171
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 01/09/2025Final vote goes as expected. HB 3991 passes 36-12. One Republicans, Cyrus Javadi, needed to get it across. The bill moves to the Senate, where a transportation package ran into trouble during the regular session. House is adjourning #orleg 1102
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 01/09/2025The Oregon House is back in session to vote on @GovTinaKotek's transportation funding bill. And Republicans, who hate the bill, agree to suspend the rule requiring it to be read in full. So this will be somewhat efficient? #orleg #orpol 2103
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 22/08/2025We finally have firm details for what the transportation funding bill being pushed by @tinakotek.bsky.social would raise in tax revenue. It's about $5.8B over a decade (and more after, as these taxes would continue). That's half a major bill that failed in June. #orpol #orleg 101
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 20/06/2025This is not playing well with other #orleg Dems -- who are likely key to this bill passing. Here's Rep. Annessa Hartman, D-Gladstone. So..... 010
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 20/06/2025A legislative committee is about to take up HB 2025, the Democrats' massive road-funding bill. Not coincidentally, Democratic Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, has been removed from that committee. Meek said earlier this week he couldn't support the bill, which could have doomed it.. #orleg #orpol 1111
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 20/06/2025The Oregon House just passed a bill that might be important next year. HB 3390 says that if any of the laws they pass this year -- like a major tax hike for roads -- is referred to voters, then legislators (aka majority Democrats) get to write the language on the ballot. #orleg #orpol 152
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 07/05/2025Another day, another last-minute amendment to a placeholder bill in the #orleg. A proposal to transform SB 1206 from simple study bill into one that creates a complex task force on health insurance was unveiled just 3 minutes before the 8am hearing. 120
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 27/11/2024Today was the last day OR voters whose ballots weren't accepted because of errors could "cure" them to have them counted. Results pulled after that deadline (5p, I think) show Dem Lesly Munoz winning HD22 by 161 votes. Would mean House supermajority for Dems. #orleg #orpol 24711
Dirk VanderHart @dirquez.bsky.social · 20/11/2024New #orleg HD22 results drop in Marion County now has Democrat Lesly Munoz up 123 votes over GOP Rep. Tracy Cramer. Tomorrow both campaigns will get a list of people whose ballots were rejected. They will hound those people. 162
