Oregon Democratic lawmakers stood on the steps of the state Capitol and implored Republicans, who have been boycotting the Senate for over a month, to return and vote on bills. The Democrats said lives are literally at stake. Among the bills are ones aimed at reducing drug overdoses, mitigating wildfire risks and shoring up seismically vulnerable dams. But neither side is budging on a bill on protections for abortion and transgender care, with Democrats saying it isn’t negotiable and minority Republicans insisting it die or be changed. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Tim Knopp was unmoved by the Democrats’ dire warnings and blamed them for the impasse.
