Gov. @tinakotek.bsky.social has vetoed a bill journalists and the state ethics commission warned would have fundamentally changed public meetings law and reduced transparency.
oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/04/16/k...
The 1/3 of House Dems in leadership roles isn't as extreme a ratio as exists in the Senate, where 9/18 Democrats and 5/12 Republicans are listed as members of caucus leadership.
2026 Oregon House Democratic Leadership Team House Speaker - Representative Julie Fahey (West Eugene & Veneta) Majority Leader - Representative Ben Bowman (Tigard, Metzger & S Beaverton) Speaker Pro Tempore Nominee - Representative David Gomberg (Lincoln & Western Benton/Lane Counties) Floor Manager - Representative Dacia Grayber (SW Portland) Floor Manager - Representative Jason Kropf (Bend) Assistant Majority Leader - Representative Hai Pham (S Hillsboro & W Beaverton) Assistant Majority Leader - Representative Willy Chotzen (SE Portland) Assistant Majority Leader - Representative April Dobson (Happy Valley & N Clackamas County) Assistant Majority Leader - Representative Lisa Fragala (Eugene) Assistant Majority Leader - Representative Rob Nosse (Inner SE & Inner NE Portland) BIPOC Caucus Leadership Designee - Representative Lesly Muñoz (Woodburn) Co-Chair - Joint Committee on Ways and Means - Representative Tawna Sanchez (N & NE Portland) Chair - House Committee on Revenue - Representative Nancy Nathanson (Eugene)
There are 37 Oregon House Democrats. Thirteen (!) of them hold leadership titles.
Kudos to @tinakotek.bsky.social for listening to her own experts. They told her this bill would wipe out the fundamental expectation that Oregonians get to know the info leading to decisions by their government. Let's tweak existing law, not destroy transparency. @spjoregon.bsky.social #FOI
I often despair that the public simply doesn’t want to understand reporters as anything other than vultures, instead of people who in the main are earnestly trying to reflect the messy complexities of reality and trying to do so in ways that minimize harm to all involved.
Bottle of wine on a train tray
Very pleasantly surprised to find the wine in the Amtrak cafe car is a full mini bottle, not an overpriced glass. Now silencing notifications to spend the remainder of this ride reading and enjoying the finest train vintage instead of arguing the merits of public meetings. 🍷
Oregon’s open government laws are for the people, not just reporters. It’s a shame the state no longer has a citizen-led group advocating for transparency, à la the Washington Coalition for Open Government. www.washcog.org
Love Zach’s photos! One of my reporting highlights was winning a sportswriting award for a story about last pre-COVID lawmakers vs. lobbyists softball game in AZ, when the losing lawmakers tried to change the rules in the bottom of the 9th.
Honestly, I think they’re subject to less scrutiny than they should be because of the hollowing out of newsrooms. So many local governments don’t have dedicated reporters paying attention to them. My own newsroom has one of the largest Capitol bureaus in the state and still can’t cover everything.
The argument for cosponsors also frankly makes no sense, as councilors don’t need cosponsors. If someone wants to introduce an ordinance or resolution, they can talk about it in a public meeting and others can show their support in full view of the people through debate and voting. 3/3
I’ve covered local and state government in multiple states, and one constant is elected officials trying to avoid scrutiny, whether by passing budgets in the dead of night, dodging questions from constituents or press or hashing issues out in secret. The bill would bless that bad behavior. 2/
Yes, the disclaimer’s there (and in multiple OCC newsletters related to this bill) because I’m committed to the transparency I expect from elected officials. :)
I’ve seen Terry’s thread and other pro-secrecy arguments, and I think the civilians supporting it put too much trust in their electeds. 1/
The Borealis between St. Paul and WI was definitely newer and fancier, with an upper car offering great views. I planned to work on my latest cross stitch project, but a mysteriously sticky tray table means it’s staying in my bag. Still, way better than driving I5 and comfier than flying.
Skyrocketing gas prices and traveling on a random weekend instead of a holiday meant it was finally more cost-efficient to take a train to Seattle instead of driving. I’m still a little nervous, in part because my last Amtrak got stuck over the Mississippi for an hour after a boat clipped the bridge
Today’s potential veto notice coincides with the ethics commission concluding my city’s mayor broke the open meetings law when she orchestrated a series of private meetings to force out the city manager. Salem City Council supported weakening the meetings law.
www.salemreporter.com/2026/04/06/e...
Today’s announcement isn’t a final veto, and we saw the governor sign bills she considered vetoing in 2024. Lawmakers also have the option to override vetoes with a supermajority vote.
Big news for everyone who believes the public should know what their government is doing: The only bill Gov. Tina Kotek is considering vetoing this year is the bipartisan effort to gut public meetings law despite opposition from journalists and warnings from the state ethics commission.
At the Capital Chronicle, we’re proud to cover the stories from Oregon that affect your life. For Local News Day, we’re sharing this Local News Finder tool so you can cut through the noise and turn to trusted journalists in your community: buff.ly/mHbmDzV #FairFearlessFree #LocalJournalism
WFH companion took a break from walking in front of my computer to open an empty fabric bin on the middle row of a cube organizer and climb in.
Excited about this opportunity to ensure the tens of millions of Americans who watch MS NOW will hear fact-based reporting from journalists who live and work full-time in Oregon and other states.
statesnewsroom.com/press-releas...
Horribly depressing news on the eve of Local News Day. The News-Review has had important local reporting on ICE offices, airport funding and city homelessness policies in recent weeks that statewide outlets based 100+ miles away can’t replace.
www.oregonlive.com/business/202...
People on Twitter were surprisingly defensive of Wilsonville and people here love to drag Salem, but that aerial view alone encapsulates how soulless and interchangeable Wilsonville feels. Meanwhile, I just enjoyed a great late Mexican dinner in walkable downtown Salem next to a historic theater.
Monstrous winged bug
Good news: I’ve figured out why my cat’s been scratching so much at the window. Bad news: I can never return home again
Of course, meeting Protestants who refuse to believe Catholics are Christian is a canon event in every Catholic kid’s life and Catholics are pretty accustomed to being excluded.
It's been such a pleasure to work with Robin, who's ending her internship today. So glad AAJA-Portland and Willamette University worked together to bring her to us!
oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/04/03/r...
Oregon, the first state to adopt universal mail voting more than 25 years ago, is joining other Democratic-led states suing over President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting mail ballots. buff.ly/5khAwTE by @jmshumway.bsky.social
Impossibly pink bush in a parking strip because why not
Oregon, the first state in the nation to vote entirely by mail, will "use every legal tool available" to fight Trump's latest executive order on elections.
oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/31/r...
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