Ore. bill standoff ends as nine senators return

Vote effectively quashes emissions legislation

SALEM, Ore. — Republican lawmakers returned to the Oregon Senate on Saturday, ending an acrimonious nine-day walkout over a carbon emissions bill that would have been the second such legislation in the nation.

The boycott had escalated when the Democratic governor ordered the state police to find and return the rogue Republicans to the Senate so the chamber could convene, and a counter-threat by one GOP senator to violently resist any such attempt. Senate Republicans fled the state to avoid being forcibly returned by the Oregon State Police, whose jurisdiction ends at the state line.

Democrats have an 18 to 12 majority in the Senate but need at least 20 members present to vote on bills.

Nine Republicans returned to the Senate on Saturday after Senate President Peter Courtney said the Democrats lacked the necessary 16 votes to pass a statewide cap on carbon that allows companies to trade pollution credits. Shortly after convening, senators quickly voted 17-10 to send the climate proposal back to committee, essentially killing it.

The House had previously passed the bill, one of the centerpieces of Oregon’s 2019 legislative session, which is scheduled to end Sunday.

One Republican absent Saturday was Sen. Brian Boquist, who had told state police to come heavily armed and to send bachelor officers if they were going to forcibly return him to the Senate during the walkout.

Boquist faces a formal complaint that will be taken up at a special committee hearing in July.

Andrew Selsky The Associated Press Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, left, addresses the Oregon Senate in Salem, Ore., on Saturday after Republican senators ended their walkout over an emissions bill.