GOP boycott in Oregon halts bills on guns, abortion and more

By CLAIRE RUSH and ANDREW SELSKY
Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Republican members of the Oregon Senate have extended their boycott into a second day, delaying bills on gun safety, abortion rights and gender-affirming health care. The stayaway prevented a quorum, a tactic that minority Republican lawmakers have used in the past. But this time — if they continue to stay away — they’ll be testing a new law that was passed overwhelmingly by Oregonians in a ballot measure last November. That law bans lawmakers who have 10 or more unexcused absences from running for reelection. The boycott comes as several statehouses around the nation have been battlegrounds between conservatives and liberals.