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Dispatches from public radio's correspondent at the Oregon Legislature. This is a venue for political and policy coverage of the state government in Salem and its impact on the people of Oregon.

Oregon Lawmakers To Kick Off 2016 Session

OregonDOT
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Oregon DOT

Oregon lawmakers return to the state Capitol Monday for a whirlwind legislative session. Legislators are expected to debate topics such as the minimum wage, corporate taxes, and gun control.

But that doesn't mean any of those issues are necessarily going to pass.

This five week session doesn't leave a lot of room to hash out issues in-depth. Basically, any bill that's going to pass has to get through the first chamber in the first two weeks. So the time frame to get things done is really fast.

Legislative budget writers will also recommend updates to the current two-year spending plan. They'll also consider emergency spending to help pay for costs associated with the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

The Oregon Legislature meets for five weeks in even-numbered years and five months in odd-numbered years.