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Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen returns to work after weeks of recovery
Patrick Allen, the director of the Oregon Health Authority, returned to duty this week after a long absence. The agency declined to respond to requests for more information. He was working at his home in Sherwood throughout much of the pandemic. It’s not clear whether he is continuing to work from home. Allen had a […]
Conservationists hail $5 million investment in preserving Oregon’s farmland
Oregon was among the first states to develop land use laws but that’s not stopped the conversion of farmland into hundreds of thousands acres of housing and industrial sites over a decade. But an investment just approved by the Legislature could stem that trend by putting money into the pockets of farmers and ranchers to […]
Oregon’s $5 billion agriculture industry struggles amid high gas prices
Soaring energy prices are hammering Oregon’s farmers and ranchers, and the war in Ukraine is likely to only make that worse, experts say. The turmoil comes at a bad time, too. The state’s $5 billion agricultural industry has endured two tough years during the pandemic along with a continuing drought, and though commodity prices are […]
Thousands of Oregonians eager to undergo psilocybin treatment under state program
Thousands of people in Oregon are interested in using psilocybin as a mental health treatment and hundreds are interested in becoming licensed to treat patients or offer services under the voter-approved program. Among more than 4,400 people who responded to a survey by the Oregon Health Authority, nearly 4,200 said they would like to access […]
Oregon Legislature ends 2022 session with big spending, policy changes, little political rancor
With a final flurry of votes and speeches, Oregon legislators ended their 2022 session just before noon on Friday. Depending on whether Gov. Kate Brown signs all of the bills sent her way — she told reporters Friday she’s reviewing everything carefully but isn’t planning any vetoes — the 32 days of legislative work will […]
Though hospitalizations now at 400, Oregon will keep mask mandates through March 11
The decline in hospitalizations of patients with Covid has been more rapid than forecast but state officials say they are leaving mask mandates in place for another week. As of Thursday, about 400 people with Covid were hospitalized in Oregon, about 120 less than last week. The state had set 400 as the benchmark when […]
STATUS CHECK: Where key legislative bills are on week 5
The five-week session of the Oregon Legislature kicked off with lawmakers filing more than 200 bills. Those have been whittled down by House and Senate committees. Bills that didn’t pass out of committee by the end of the day on Feb. 14 died. Those that require the use of state funds must be considered by […]
Oregon Legislature passes bill mandating overtime pay for farmworkers
Oregon is headed towards becoming the eighth state to mandate overtime pay for farmworkers. The pay bill passed its final legislative hurdle on Thursday and heads to Gov. Kate Brown, who appears ready to sign the new requirement into law. That means an estimated 86,000 farmworkers next year will get overtime pay – a benefit […]
Three leading Democratic legislators in Oregon decide against another term
They say they no longer can juggle the demands of public office, careers and raising children. They are legislators with power and influence. They each chair a committee. And at the end of this year, Democratic Reps. Karin Power of Milwaukie, Rachel Prusak of Tualatin and Anna Williams of Hood River will end their service. […]
Legislature moves towards approval of a bill that would regulate kratom
A proposal that passed the state House on Wednesday would give Oregon consumers of kratom more assurance about the safety of these products. House Bill 4010 would regulate the manufacturing and sales of kratom, which is sold in various forms and used as a stimulant or painkiller. The proposal would require processors and retailers to […]
Budget plan would aid low-income Oregonians and help with housing, child care, job training
New state spending designed to improve the lives of Oregonians by helping thousands of homeless residents obtain shelter, providing access to clean water in small, rural towns and enabling more than 100,000 students to take summer classes appears headed to legislative approval. “We are seizing this opportunity to send direct relief to Oregonians and deliver […]
Divisive farmworker bill passes Oregon House
The House passed a proposal Tuesday that would require overtime pay for farmworkers. House Bill 4002 would phase in time-and-a-half pay over five years while paying farmers tax credits over six years to cushion the cost of the new pay. “If we don’t pass this bill this session, farms could very well be facing a […]