Oregon Ballot Measure 113

Unlike most state legislatures (in which a majority is a sufficient quorum), the Oregon Constitution requires that two-thirds of the Oregon State Senate or Oregon House of Representatives be present to conduct a session. The purpose of this amendment is to discourage members of the minority party from walking out (i.e., being intentionally absent) from legislative sessions in order to block passing new laws that they do not have the voting majority to prevent through normal democratic processes.[1] Measure 113 was a response to Republican members of the legislature, who in the three years before Measure 113's passage (from 2019 to 2022) repeatedly walked out of the State Capitol to block Democrats from passing Democratic legislative priorities, including a business tax to fund education and greenhouse gas cap-and-trade legislation to limit Oregon's carbon emissions.[1][2][3]

In 2022, a Republican walkout forced the 2020 legislative session to end early, effectively killing many bills.[2] Republicans also used the tactic to block vaccine and gun bills.[3] The Republicans' use of a walkout three years in a row was unprecedented; previous Oregon walkouts were rare.[2][3][4] Democrats had last used the strategy in 2001, when they were in the legislative minority, to block a Republican attempt to draw the boundaries of legislative districts (the Republican-controlled House had tried to pass their redistricting plan as a resolution rather than a bill, an attempt to evade a veto from then-Governor John Kitzhaber, a Democrat).[5]

Prior to 2022, Oregon law provided that legislators may be compelled to attend floor sessions or expelled (by a two-thirds majority) for "disorderly behavior"; however, there were no automatic consequences for failure to attend sessions, nor is "disorderly behavior" clearly defined.[2][6] This allowed legislators to abscond out of state (beyond the reach of Oregon law enforcement) during walkouts, and then return without consequence.[2] Under Measure 113, the state Constitution was amended so that state Senators and state Representatives with ten unexcused absences from either a regular or a special floor sessions of the legislature are barred from holding office as a legislator for the term following their current term of office.[6] Measure 113 also clarified that a failure to attend ten or more legislative floor sessions in a session constitutes "disorderly behavior” through unexcused absences is disqualified from serving as a Senator or Representative for the term following the end of the legislator’s current term.[6]

Measure 113 was supported by Oregon Democrats and their allies in labor unions and other groups.[3][7] No formal opposition to M113 was filed, but The Oregonian/OregonLive and Willamette Week endorsed a "no" vote on the ground that measure gave too much authority to the Senate president and House speaker to determine when a member's absence was excused or unexcused, and because it could leave some legislative seats vacant.[7][8][9]

In the general election in November 2022, Oregon voters approved Measure 113 by an overwhelming majority.[3] The results were 1,292,127 "yes" votes (68.32%) and 599,204 "no" votes (31.68%).[10]

Measure 113 was codified as Article IV, Section 15, of the Oregon Constitution, which states: "Failure to attend, without permission or excuse, ten or more legislative floor sessions called to transact business during a regular or special legislative session shall be deemed disorderly behavior and shall disqualify the member from holding office as a Senator or Representative for the term following the election after the member's current term is completed."[11]

During the 2023 session, Republicans in the state Senate defied Measure 113 by continuing to walk out on sessions, depriving the chamber of a quorum. In early May 2023, a Republican walkout (led by Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp and Deputy Senate Minority leader Daniel Bonham) exceeded ten days.[12][13] By May 18, 2023, nine Republican senators (Knopp, Bonham, Lynn Findley, Bill Hansell, Cedric Ross Hayden, Dennis Linthicum, Art Robinson, Kim Thatcher, and Suzanne Weber), and one Republican-aligned Independent Party senator (Brian Boquist) reached the ten unexamined-absence limit set by Measure 113 by not showing up to vote in session.[11][14] Oregon Republicans formed a new political action committee to raise campaign funds touting their walkout.[11]

• Quorum-busting
• List of Oregon ballot measures