Boycott

Oregon lawmakers are rushing to approve hundreds of bills and a budget for the next two years before the legislative session ends on Sunday.

The abortion and gender-affirming care bill that nearly torpedoed the Oregon legislative session is headed to Gov. Tina Kotek after a final intense debate on the House floor.

The Senate on Thursday quickly and without debate passed two of the most contentious bills of the session – on abortion and firearms – as the Republican-led walkout ended and work began.

Republican and Democratic leaders in Salem have reached an agreement to end the legislative walkout that's stretched on for nearly a month and a half. Senate Republicans led the walkout in early May to protest legislation involving abortion access.

In a sign they're ready to acknowledge their last plan didn't work, legislative Democrats now insist quorum rules should change.

Oregon school districts are preparing their annual budgets this spring. They have to adopt them by the end of June.But until a schools budget is passed, districts won’t know how much money they’ll have.

One thing that is clear is that hope for an end to the five-week walkout has been rekindled in recent days partly because of a friendship between two lawmakers: Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, and Sen. Kathleen Taylor, D-Portland.

Hundreds of bills are set to perish if the impasse continues; measures to create more affordable housing, to help at-risk students, bills aimed at combating climate change and measures addressing the public-defender crisis.

Oregonians have much to lose if the legislative session ends by June 25 without a functioning Senate that can vote on bills, Democrats warned Tuesday.

Lawmakers have fewer than three weeks left to work through their differences.

Republicans said they wanted the committee to hold government agencies accountable.

On Thursday, Senate Democrats did not say how they plan to bill their colleagues, what would happen if Republicans don’t pay nor where the money would go.