OPB Politics Now

Oregon lawmakers are tackling some major issues in the short session. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now we focus on the housing bill moving through Salem. We discuss the political fault lines animating the bill, whether it will actually be used and much more. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

Oregon lawmakers have a lot on their plate, but they are shuffling to act as quickly as possible during the short session in some cases to avoid a larger fight at the ballot box. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Dirk VanderHart and Lauren Dake discuss the sudden interest in campaign finance limits and the latest on the efforts to unravel Measure 110. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

Oregon lawmakers already had a big agenda to tackle in the short legislative session, but a surprise wrinkle entered the fray. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Dirk VanderHart and Lauren Dake discuss the session’s first two weeks, Gov. Tina Kotek’s housing bill and its changes and why there’s a sudden bipartisan effort to finally address campaign finance limits statewide. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Lauren Dake and Alex Zielinski discuss why some Portland police officers continue to use force at greater levels than their colleagues, what the bureau says about it and why some experts say it's a problematic trend. Find the show wherever you get your podcasts.

Oregon lawmakers return to the Capitol on Monday for a frenetic 35-day session. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Lauren Dake and Dirk VanderHart talk about the major issues, the key Oregon Supreme Court ruling and much more. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

Oregon’s landmark drug decriminalization law is now in the crosshairs of Democratic leaders. Republicans and other Measure 110 opponents say the proposal doesn’t go far enough, while drug recovery advocates say this is not the way. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Dirk VanderHart, Lauren Dake and Alex Zielinski talk about the fight to come and they discuss why Portland and Multnomah County leaders continue to squabble over how to respond to weather emergencies.

Gov. Tina Kotek will once again push for a bill to make it easier for cities to add land for housing. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Dirk VanderHart and Lauren Dake discuss the bill, how it was derailed in the Legislature and why the governor thinks this time may be different. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

Tina Kotek is no stranger to Oregon politics, but her perception inside and outside Salem may have changed as she traded in the speaker’s gavel for the governor’s office. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, political reporters Dirk VanderHart and Lauren Dake discuss their deep dive into Kotek’s first year. They discussed how the progressive has shifted to the middle, what her political opponents have to say and much more. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

It’s going to be a busy year for politics in Oregon and beyond. There’s a presidential election, a coveted and presumably safe Democratic seat in the U.S. House of Representatives is up for grabs and Portland is embarking on a historic election.  On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Alex Zielinski and Dirk VanderHart discuss all that and more. Dive into the busy year to come. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

Oregon loves to be an outlier, and its special kicker tax rebate is yet another example. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Kyra Buckley and Dirk VanderHart go deep on why Oregon's kicker continues to hit unprecedented dollar figures, how the state compares nationally and much more. Find the show wherever you get your podcasts.