Will Oregonians see a legislative session in 2024? Or will Republican lawmakers – at least on the Senate side – protest by not showing up?

That’s up to the Democratic majority, according to Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp of Bend. He led this year’s record-setting 43 days of what he termed “peaceful protest,” using the Oregon Constitution’s quorum requirement to deny Democrats the ability to conduct business.

“However, if Democrats just want to relitigate their progressive liberal national agenda, I don’t know there’ll be a ‘24 session,” Knopp told me last month. “And they are in the majority, but they don’t control what happens. And we proved that, if we stick together as Republicans and independents.”

He told the Senate on Sept. 29 that the February session should focus on two issues that trouble Oregonians: 1) housing and homelessness, and 2) addiction, drug use and Measure 110. Lawmakers also will rebalance the state’s two-year budget and make any needed technical fixes to past legislation. 

Gov. Tina Kotek’s top priority for the 35-day session is expanding Oregon’s housing supply. And to address the drug crisis, Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, and House Speaker Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, have created a Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response, which will meet four times to prepare for the session.

Kotek and legislative leaders recently met to discuss the session parameters. He told the Senate that the initial conversation was positive. 

“We need to avoid the inflammatory issues that have marked sessions in the past because they will derail the spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship,” he said. “I believe we are on the right track. I think we need to stay on that track as it relates to not having those inflammatory issues in the ‘24 session.”

Last month I hit the road to interview the top four legislative leaders: Knopp, Wagner, Rayfield and then-House Republican Leader Vikki Breese-Iverson, Prineville. 

We discussed what this year’s sometimes-tumultuous 160-day session was like for the individual leaders – politically and personally – and what lies ahead for 2024. The two House columns were published last week, followed by the two Senate columns today.

Knopp and I talked at his office in Bend, where he is executive vice president of the Central Oregon Builders Association. I followed up last week by email with Ashley Kuenzi, communications director for the Senate Republican Office.

Some tensions remain. As president, Wagner has sole discretion of whether to excuse a senator’s absence. Republicans contend his decisions have been arbitrary, capricious and in violation of the First Amendment.

Ten senators accumulated enough unexcused absences during the walkout that voter-approved Measure 114 now could bar them from seeking election. That will depend on how the Oregon Supreme Court interprets the measure. Knopp said that if courts decide he cannot seek re-election, he is unlikely to run for any other office. 

The Senate Conduct Committee on Friday, Oct. 20, will take up complaints that Sens. Cedric Hayden, R-Fall Creek, and Lynn Findley, R-Vale, filed against Wagner, who did not excuse them to attend religious services. An outside investigator has said Wagner’s action did not violate Senate rules. 

(Wagner also did not excuse Sen. Brian Boquist, of Dallas, last month to attend mass. Boquist caucuses as an independent but is seeking re-election as a Republican.)

Republicans ended the Senate Democrats’ super-majority in last year’s elections by capturing one seat. Knopp contends, however, that Democrats still governed as if their majority were larger. Senate Republicans sought to force bipartisanship by slowing the session and refusing to waive the constitutional requirement that bills be read in full before floor votes. 

Based on Democrats’ past performance, Knopp said, they needed to earn Republicans’ consent.

“It’s important for us that all citizens of Oregon are heard and listened to. And that means that they don’t just get to come to a one-minute hearing, but what they actually say ends up in legislation throughout the session,” he said at a Jan. 24 press conference, which was lightly attended by the news media. “If we’re going to be one state and not having an urban-rural divide, then we have to include everyone.” 

Knopp was the majority leader in 2003 in the House, when Republicans controlled it, before becoming Senate minority leader in 2021. “Being in the majority is more fun because you’re able to get more things done,” he said. “The role of the minority is to challenge the majority. You can affect legislation. Make sure your constituents’ voices are heard in legislation.”

Since last year, he has had the assistance of his son, Reagan Knopp, as district chief of staff, adviser and sounding board. Reagan grew up in politics. When he was a mere 3 weeks old, he was in the GOP booth at a county fair. He also worked for his father during the 2013-15 sessions. 

Much of a legislator’s role unfolds out of the limelight, including assisting constituents who are having problems dealing with state agencies. “Agencies pay attention. Sometimes it’s just, you know, communication isn’t happening,” the elder Knopp said. 

He often spoke on the Senate floor this year about government accountability, including Republicans’ demand for an independent investigation into the OLCC, and about stalled Republican legislation. His extemporaneous style once led longtime Senate President Peter Courtney to dub him “No Notes Knopp.” 

Although controversy dominated the year’s legislative headlines, Knopp said, “I would say that there is a general spirit of wanting to work together to get things done on an individual basis. As long as the politics can be dealt with, a lot of good things can be done.”

In the beginning of the session, D’s and R’s worked collaboratively on housing and semiconductors. But near the end, he said, Republicans had nothing left to lose. Democrats had refused to negotiate on controversial bills, insisting on up-or-down votes. Meanwhile, a Republican staffer had discovered that the summary statements for most bills violated a state law on readability – an issue that remains unresolved heading into the 2024 session.

Until Democratic Sen. Kathleen Taylor of Portland got involved in negotiations, Republicans were on a path to never return from their walkout, Knopp said. The Democratic leadership had given up. However, Taylor and Knopp have a trustworthy relationship, having collaborated on PERS, paid family leave and equal pay legislation in the committee she chaired.

“I always hope for the best and plan for the worst,” Knopp said. “In the end, it turned out OK.”

Heading into the session, Knopp said protecting Oregon’s unique income tax “kicker” was most important. Legislative Democrats never seriously toyed with changing what will be record refunds to taxpayers next year. But they also didn’t give much consideration to his bill to distribute the refunds sooner by issuing checks.

I asked Knopp in retrospect whether there was anything he wished had been different about this year’s session. He responded: “Yeah, I wish we had more Republican members. That would help.”

Personal note: I’ll be back in November with more Capital Chatter.