In a significant ruling, the Oregon Supreme Court has affirmed the decision to disqualify 10 Republican state senators from seeking reelection following a record-breaking six-week walkout in 2023. The walkout, the longest in the state’s history, was staged by the senators to obstruct bills related to abortion, transgender health care, and gun rights.
The court’s decision aligns with the secretary of state’s move to enforce Measure 113, a voter-approved amendment to the state constitution in 2022. Measure 113 prohibits lawmakers with more than 10 unexcused absences from running for reelection. Last year’s walkout resulted in a legislative standstill, stalling numerous bills and sparking legal challenges.
Five of the senators, including Tim Knopp, Daniel Bonham, Suzanne Weber, Dennis Linthicum, and Lynn Findley, filed a lawsuit against the secretary of state, contesting their disqualification. The senators expressed disagreement with the court’s ruling, with Knopp, the chamber’s Republican minority leader, expressing concern about the decision’s potential impact on dissent.
The legal dispute centered around the interpretation of the language in Measure 113, specifically the phrase “for the term following the election after the member’s current term is completed.” The senators argued that the penalty should take effect after they’ve served another term, while the state emphasized that voters intended to disqualify legislators immediately after their current term.
The walkout in 2023 concluded after Republicans secured concessions from Democrats on key legislation related to abortion, transgender health care, and undetectable firearms. Measure 113, approved by Oregon voters by a wide margin, was a response to previous Republican walkouts in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
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