The Republican walkout in the Oregon state senate hit a critical point this week. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, Dirk VanderHart and Lauren Dake discuss whether the Legislative session is over, the personality conflicts at play between rivals in Salem and much more.

On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, Lauren Dake and Dirk VanderHart discuss the latest Republican walkout and what it may mean for pending legislation in Salem, the lawmakers who are nearing their 10th unexcused absence and much more.

Shemia Fagan was supposed to be the next Democratic star in Oregon politics, but now she's about to be out of office due to a spectacularly fast-moving scandal in Salem. Reporters Lauren Dake and Dirk VanderHart talk about Fagan's rise to prominence and sudden resignation as Secretary of State.

On this week’s episode of "OPB Politics Now," we discuss Phil Knight’s $400 million gift to a new investment fund that aims to benefit Black Portlanders. Also, we discuss the history of campaign finance reform in Oregon.

In 2020, Portland City Council promised millions for a new racial justice group formed to help Black Portlanders. Last week it appeared the city would renege on its promise to Reimagine Oregon. On this week’s show, we examine why the city changed course at the last second, why the budget proposal prompted outrage and what it means for the city’s relationships with communities of color.

On this week's show, we break down a complicated week of court actions and legislative maneuvering in the Pacific Northwest on the topic of abortion access.

State legislators have sent the governor a big piece of legislation aimed at attracting more semiconductor production. On this week's show, we'll examine the tools they'll use to do that, and the broader philosophical choices they're making about Oregon land use policy.

Oregon lawmakers have been so busy this session working up major packages on housing and semiconductors that the two parties have barely had time to fight over the issues that most bitterly divide them. That changed this week, as Democrats called up three bills that would expand gun regulation in the state. OPB reporters Dirk VanderHart and Jonathan Levinson break them down on the new episode.

On this week's show, we catch you up on a hectic week in Oregon politics. Among the highlights: Portland struggles to find homeless camp sites, Oregon loses its chief financial officer and state lawmakers look at ways to help prevent organized shoplifting.

Oregon leaders are pushing local governments to build more affordable housing and to build it quickly. But on this week's episode of OPB Politics Now, we’re going to look at the realities of actually managing that housing once it's built. We have a case study in how hard that can be: Portland’s Milepost 5. It started as an artist’s dream – but is now embroiled in a class-action lawsuit.