June 24, 2020 10:55 a.m.

Wednesday morning, Senate Republicans voted against specific aspects of the special session rules.

A release from the Senate Republican Office said the rules GOP members voted against included that only the Senate President and the Speaker of the House have the capabilities to create bills or amendments during the special session, not any other sitting legislator.

Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod of Stayton said “the rights of the minority, no matter who the minority party is, are extremely important and they are compromised by these special session rules”. He said “without the ability to create or amend legislation, my colleagues and I are legislators by name only during the special session”.

The release said the second rule change the Republicans voted against was about the lack of transparency in the process. It said typically dependent on the participation of Oregonians, the rule change largely excludes citizens from the legislative process during the special session.

A link to Senator Girod’s remarks from the floor are linked with this story at www.541radio.com. http://oregon.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?clip_id=28286&meta_id=1520140