Category: Kate Brown

Oregon Starts Phasing Out Gas-Power Vehicles to Meet Air-Quality Goals

Gas-powered vehicles will soon be a thing of the past in Oregon. A new rule adopted on Dec. 19 by Oregon’s Environmental Quality Commission bans the sale of new gas-powered vehicles and requires all new cars, trucks, and SUVs sold in the state to be “Zero Emission Vehicles” (ZEVS) by 2035. The rule is based…


West Coast Leaders Sign Climate Agreement in San Francisco

California Gov. Gavin Newsom ramped up attacks on oil companies and vowed Oct. 7 to double down on aggressive clean energy plans while renewing a climate action agreement with Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. All four regions are facing droughts, excessive heat, and smoke from large wildfires, the leaders said. By signing an updated Pacific Coast…


Oregon Governor Invokes Emergency Act Due to Wildfire, Residents Told to Evacuate

Residents in Oregon are advised to be prepared and follow all evacuation orders after Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Saturday invoked the state’s Emergency Conflagration Act in response to a wildfire in the state’s southwest. The Rum Creek Fire burning outside the town of Galice in Josephine County is “currently estimated to be 4,700 acres in size,”…


Newsom Joins Oregon, Washington in Pact to Ensure Abortion Access

Gov. Gavin Newsom joined his counterparts from Oregon and Washington Friday to proclaim the states as safe havens for women seeking abortion following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of the Roe v. Wade—the landmark 1973 precedent which largely legalized the procedure nationwide. As a result of the Supreme Court ruling, each state now has the option…


Tina Kotek Wins Oregon Governor Democratic Primary

Tina Kotek won the Oregon Democratic gubernatorial primary on May 18. With 84 percent of the precincts reporting at 3:59 a.m. ET, Kotek received 57 percent of the vote, defeating Tobias Reed by 14 percentage points, according to Decision Desk HQ. After two terms in office, Oregon Governor Kate Brown, a progressive Democrat, could seek…


Oregon Governor Sued After Commuting Sentences of Hundreds of Prisoners

Oregon’s governor has been sued for commuting the sentences of nearly 1,000 convicted felons since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, has violated state law and the state’s constitution in letting the felons go free before their sentences are over, two district attorneys and four Oregon residents said in a…


Oregon Extends State of Emergency, Cites Possible Surge in Omicron Hospitalizations

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday extended the state’s declaration of a state of emergency through June 2022, saying the state is preparing for a surge in hospitalizations due to the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus. “As Oregon prepares for what could be our worst surge in hospitalizations during this pandemic, I know that…


Oregon Governor Announces Mask Mandate for Outdoor Settings

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced on Tuesday that state residents will be required to wear masks in most public outdoor settings, regardless of vaccination status. Starting Friday, people must don face coverings outdoors where physical distancing is not possible. “Masks have proven to be effective at reducing transmission and are a necessary measure right now,…


Oregon Governor Sends up to 1,500 National Guardsmen to Aid Hospitals Amid CCP Virus Surge

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Friday deployed up to 1,500 National Guard troops to support the state’s hospitals facing a surge in hospitalizations amid an outbreak of the CCP virus. An initial deployment of 500 troops will take place on Aug. 20 to assist hospitals around the state with logistics, handling materials and equipment, administering…


Oregon Governor Signs Bill Letting Students Graduate Without Proving They Can Read, Write, or Do Math

Oregon’s governor recently signed a bill that allows high school students to graduate without proving they can read, write, or do math. Oregon Senate Bill 744 (pdf) states that students “may not be required to show proficiency in Essential Learning Skills as a condition of receiving a high school diploma” in the next three school…