OPB Politics Now

The city of Portland made a national splash a few weeks ago when the city council announced it would be boycotting the entire state of Texas. But after the city made the headlines, the plan changed. This week, we run down the details of how the city’s confused response to Texas’s near-total ban on abortions. We’ll also touch on the redistricting fight state lawmakers are gearing up for.

Oregon’s battle over how to draw new political maps got real late last week, when Democrats and Republicans in Salem unveiled dueling redistricting plans. Now, it’s unclear whether they can find agreement before time runs out. On this week’s OPB Politics Now, we look at the state’s redistricting fight, and how it could reshape Oregon politics.

Oregon schoolchildren are beginning to head back into the classroom. But with the delta variant exploding throughout Oregon, this school year is looking far different than what many students, parents and teachers had hoped. This week, we’ll take a look at the things complicating the return to in-person learning in Oregon, and offer our best notion of what the school year will look like.

After months of delay, the Census Bureau has finally released the detailed data that will help lawmakers create new political districts this year. Now, the interesting part begins. This week, we’ll explore what the census says about our changing state, and preview the fights that are sure to follow.

Since last year, calls for police reform have led to meaningful policy changes in Portland and other cities throughout the country. But less scrutiny has gone to a sector that often crops up when police aren’t around: Private security.

The official who handles harassment complaints among lawmakers in the state Capitol recently resigned in an explosive fashion. As he left, he lobbed serious allegations of dysfunction within the office. This week, we dive into the accusations and see how lawmakers are responding.

Critics of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler are collecting signatures to attempt to recall him. On this week's episode, OPB reporter Rebecca Ellis and Portland Mercury news editor Alex Zielinski talk with OPB editor Anna Griffin about the process for recalling a city official, the people behind the campaign and the chances it actually succeeds.

After fifteen months of COVID restrictions, Oregon is open again. But almost 2800 Oregonians have died, and our state will never be the same. We talk about the last year and a half, and the path forward, with Oregon Governor Kate Brown.

House Speaker Tina Kotek, a Portland Democrat, spoke to OPB about the legislative session and what comes next.

The Oregon Legislature has concluded an unprecedented session. Lawmakers passed legislation addressing the pandemic, wildfires, social equity issues and more. This week, we review the most significant bills passed by lawmakers -- and what they missed.