Opb Politics Now

The Oregon House this week approved billions of dollars in new business taxes that would help fund education in the state. We explain how it would work in this week’s episode.

On this week’s “OPB Politics Now,” OPB News Editor Anna Griffin talks to OPB healthcare reporter Kristian Foden-Vencil and OPB political reporter Dirk VanderHart about the politics of vaccines and a bill in the legislature that would eliminate mon-medical exemptions to vaccines.

On this week’s episode of OPB Politics Now, we’re talking about the intersection of politics and criminal justice — including how Oregon should treat young offenders who are convicted of committing the most extreme crimes.

The 2019 Legislative session is already halfway through, and Oregon lawmakers still have an insane amount of work to do. On this week’s OPB Politics Now, we take the temperature of this very ambitious session. And we run down the Governor’s brand new plan for tackling Oregon’s pension problems.

Security in the state Capitol was extra tight this week as lawmakers considered whether to expand the state’s gun control laws. And we have a new Secretary of State. Now four of five statewide offices in Oregon are held by women for the first time in the state’s history. We’ll bring you all the details on this week’s episode of OPB Politics Now.

Oregon lawmakers were busy in Salem again this week. We’ll talk cap and trade and the Columbia River Crossing. Plus, we’ll discuss how lawmakers are trying to address the use of so-called dark money.

OPB has spent months digging deep on how Oregon handles its most vulnerable children. In this episode, we take a closer look at what’s plaguing the state’s child welfare system.

Portland is changing—and it’s fighting about how it changes every step of the way. We look at the debates over new housing and congested highways that are sweeping over the Rose City. And we’ll talk about why they might be coming to other parts of Oregon.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee is out on the presidential campaign trail. But Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has decided it’s not in the cards for him. We explain what’s up with these two prominent Northwest Democrats in our latest edition of OPB Politics Now.

It’s been an intense week in the Capitol. Oregon became the first in the nation to pass statewide rent control. Senate President Peter Courtney has found himself under increasing pressure over how he handles sexual harassment. And Oregon’s Secretary of State Dennis Richardson died. I’m Lauren Dake. In this week’s episode of OPB Politics Now, we will catch up on what’s been happening in your statehouse.

The Oregon Republican Party is struggling with irrelevancy. There’s only one Republican in statewide office, and only one in the state congressional delegation. Can this party be saved? We look at the past and the potential future of the GOP in the age of Donald Trump and Democratic dominance on the West Coast.

The Oregon Republican Party is struggling with irrelevancy. There’s only one Republican in statewide office, and only one in the state congressional delegation. Can this party be saved? We look at the past and the potential future of the GOP in the age of Donald Trump and Democratic dominance on the West Coast.

The Portland City Council reconsidered its relationship with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force this week. But is this really the best form of government for making these kinds of decisions? An influential advocacy group says no.

For years, it’s been up to cities to solve their own housing problems. But Oregon’s housing crisis is now a statewide issue, and legislative leaders are rushing to respond. Two bills being considered in this year’s Legislative session would mean huge changes in how cities and towns handle the lack of affordable housing and rising rents.

The Oregon legislature is back at work, and they’re considering two big changes to help the environment. This week, we talk cap and trade and plastic straws, plus take a look at ways to make the Pacific Northwest more relevant in the 2020 presidential race.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown is pushing legislators to adopt new limits on big money in state campaigns. We explain what she’s up to, and the big hurdles standing in her way in this episode.

The Oregon Legislature takes up a jam-packed agenda when it gets underway next week. We’ll give you a quick rundown of the major issues.

It’s a new era at Portland City Hall as Commissioner Jo An Hardesty replaces Dan Saltzman, one of the longest-serving city officials ever. We’ll look at what this big change says about Portland politics. And we’ll examine the aftermath of the Oregon labor department’s scathing report on work conditions at the state legislature.

In June, Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson announced he had brain cancer. In this week’s OPB Politics Now, we’ll discuss the delicate balance between a person’s right to privacy and the public’s right to know how an elected official is doing.