September 17, 2025 3:50 a.m. 

The Special Session of the Oregon State Legislature has been delayed again and is now scheduled to resume during interim legislative days, starting September 29th.

A release from Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner said the move was due to the medical condition of Senator Chris Gorsek of Gresham. Wagner said Gorsek’s medical team says it would be “medically unsafe and unwise for Sen. Gorsek to leave the hospital at this time”.

On Tuesday, President Wagner visited with Senator Gorsek to check on him and pass along the well wishes of his fellow senators. Senator Gorsek is recovering from scheduled back surgery which resulted in an unforeseeable complication.

The Special Session began earlier in the month with the House of Representatives passing two bills to provide additional funding for the Oregon Department of Transportation. Senator Gorsek’s vote is needed for Democrats to be able to pass the legislation in the Senate chamber.

Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr of Dundee said the situation was avoidable. Senator Starr said, “…Governor Kotek could have worked with Republicans from the beginning to craft a transportation package with true bipartisan support – one that redirected existing funding to road maintenance and operations, protected ODOT jobs, and eliminated the costs to drivers that have made transportation more expensive under her leadership”.

Senator Wagner said, “The Senate will provide Sen. Gorsek with the time he needs to regain his health and be present for the vote on transportation policy he was instrumental in creating”.