Footsteps echo through the almost-deserted hallways of the Oregon Capitol. Parking spots are easier to find. The 2017 Oregon Legislature is close to adjourning.

Meanwhile, scores of bills are still rambling through the Legislature.

Assuming the minority Republicans agree with the majority Democrats to suspend the rules and thus speed the bills’ travel, the Legislature could adjourn late on July 6 or more likely July 7. If not, the session will last until at least July 8.

The constitutional deadline for adjournment is July 10.

• Behind the scenes of the abortion bill: House Bill 3391 created a contentious debate in the Oregon House and an animated but cordial debate in the Senate.

House Republicans were angry that the Democratic leadership had broken what they considered to be a longstanding agreement that neither side would bring abortion bills — whether pro or con — to the floor.

In response, Republicans sought, unsuccessfully, to force a vote on an anti-abortion bill that had been sitting in a House committee for months. Then they insisted that HB 3391 be read word-by-word — a 12-minute process, to which hardly anyone listened. (Legislators usually suspend that requirement.) They also tried to send the bill to a House committee to have the $500,000 abortion-funding provision removed.

House Republican Leader Mike McLane drew a stern rebuke from House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, when he tried to say the vote on the so-called Reproductive Health Equity Act was all about political posturing for campaigning. That was in reference to a letter about the bill from Democratic-leaning organizations.

But when McLane tried to object to a statement made by Rep. Ann Lininger, D-Lake Oswego, Kotek said she didn’t see him in time.

In the Senate, Republicans let the bill come to a floor vote despite their dislike of it, instead of going all-out to stop it. Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Portland, is loath to allow votes on bills that could trigger a meltdown in the Senate.

Side notes: A fire alarm interrupted Republican McLane as he started his speech against HB 3391. Speaker Kotek said burnt toast in the House Democratic Office set off the alarm.

The Legislature’s email notification system accidentally belched out an alert that the House had approved the Republicans’ motion to send HB 3391 back to a committee. Not so. Oops.

• Kudos for Courtney: Senate Democratic Leader Ginny Burdick of Portland, Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli of John Day and others collaborated to give President Courtney an end-of-session gift — a painting of Salem’s new Peter Courtney Minto Island Bridge. The pedestrian and bike bridge connects downtown’s Riverfront Park with Minto-Brown Park across a Willamette River slough.

With his up-and-down personality and penchant for showmanship, Courtney can drive his colleagues batty. But he cares deeply about the legislative process and is known for fair treatment of the minority party, which stems in part from his experience of being in the minority when Republicans ruled the Legislature.

Ferrioli alluded to that during the painting presentation, when he noted that the Senate atmosphere is different than the House’s.

Local artist Lorraine Dye, who also is a Senate receptionist, did the painting.

• Salem moves slowly: Courtney had promoted the concept of the pedestrian bridge when he was on the Salem City Council in the 1970s. The bridge finally opened this spring.

He did not take the bridge naming for granted. A few years ago, the city council was expected to name a new city park — developed on surplus state land — for Courtney, honoring his work to make the park possible. At the last minute, the council failed to pass the motion naming it for Courtney; instead, it was given a different name.

• Salem is more than Salem: Salem’s civic leaders are irked when “Salem” is used as a euphemism, usually in a negative connotation, for state government.

• A speedy transportation bill: It took all legislative session, but the Legislature finally agreed on a large-scale transportation-finance package. Members of the transportation committee had little time to study the details. They were expected to vote on the lengthy bill one day after receiving it.

Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose, made the reasonable request for time to study the bill. Committee leaders responded that they needed to move quickly, as the Legislature neared adjournment, and any glitches could be fixed when the Legislature returned to Salem in February 2018.

• Oddities: Speaker Kotek was the only House member voting against a bill authorizing the Oregon Department of Transportation to issue ID cards and driver’s licenses that meet the requirements of the federal REAL ID Act of 2005. It passed 56-1.

The state owns the Elliott State Forest. But it’s spending $100 million to buy the forest from itself, which drew the ire of state Sen. Fred Girod, R-Stayton.

• Legislative language: Here’s a sampling of what legislators had to say during floor speeches this week:

State Rep. Brian Clem, D-Salem, expressed gratitude that the Legislature found money for the Farm to School Program — using local crops in school meals — instead of “the evil governor’s budget,” which had no such funding.

Sen. Girod said the state’s economic development department would be unnecessary if Oregon were friendlier to business.

Management of the state Department of Education has improved dramatically under the leadership of Salam Noor, according to Sen. Rod Monroe, D-Portland. Noor’s official title is deputy superintendent of public instruction.

Rep. Ken Helm, D-Beaverton, rued the death of the residential energy tax credit, despite efforts to rework and stabilize the program. He blamed the Senate and the Governor’s Office. “The process has really soured me on tax credits,” he said, warning that this would harm the solar industry in Oregon. Rep. John Huffman, R-The Dalles, agreed and said the demise of the tax credit would hurt rural Oregon.

House Republican Leader McLane gave a fervid speech saying the House willingly adjusted land-use regulations to benefit the Portland metropolitan area but didn’t grant that grace to rural Oregon.

Dick Hughes has been covering the state’s political scene since 1976. Contact him at TheHughesisms@Gmail.com or follow him at Facebook.com/Hughesisms.