Think Out Loud

Republican state senators returned to the Oregon Capitol to wrap up the legislative session over the weekend. Lawmakers worked at breakneck speed to pass dozens of bills, including many priorities for Democrats. The cap-and-trade bill that spurred Republican senators to walk out never made it to the floor, but lawmakers approved paid family medical leave, increased density in single-family neighborhoods and new restrictions on diesel trucks. They also referred a tobacco tax hike and campaign finance cap to voters. OPB political reporter Dirk VanderHart fills us in on the dramatic end of the 2019 legislative