Mia Maldonado

Idaho secretary of state won’t give US Justice Department sensitive voter information • Idaho Capital Sun Idaho’s secretary of state said he will not give the Trump administration access to sensitive personal information about registered voters.

"Ultimately, my concern is for the privacy rights of Idahoans who have registered to vote, as secured under Idaho law,” Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane wrote to the Justice Department in a Feb. 26 letter. #idpol

Oregon bill to move gas tax referendum heads to governor’s desk • Oregon Capital Chronicle The Oregon House passed a bill that would move the date Oregonians can vote on a controversial 2025 transportation law from November to May.

Update: Gov. Tina Kotek late Monday signed Senate Bill 1599 into law, clearing the way for the gas tax referendum to take place on the May primary. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/02/o...

This dance, the Payaso de Rodeo, is like the Mexican cha-cha slide, btw, in the sense that it's a dance most people in the community know. 🤠

Oregon Senate moves to penalize landlords divulging citizenship status, private information • Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon law already ensures that landlords may not discriminate against tenants due to their immigration status.

Oregon tenants whose landlords leak confidential information such as their immigration status or medical records could soon have a pathway to collect up to twice their monthly rent as a form of recourse.

Oregon bill to move gas tax referendum heads to governor’s desk • Oregon Capital Chronicle The Oregon House passed a bill that would move the date Oregonians can vote on a controversial 2025 transportation law from November to May.

The bill’s passage marks one of the largest trials for Oregon’s mostly Democratic legislature as they try to balance ODOT's massive budget shortfall while contending with criticism from Oregonians urging them to prioritize affordability.

oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/02/o...

To square Oregon’s budget, lawmakers say many state agency jobs must go unfilled • Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon’s budget writers warned that the state’s current $128 million deficit will worsen in the years ahead due to federal changes.

Legislative budget writers propose leaving more than 130 transportation jobs vacant, spending less on services and supplies and moving around not-yet-promised money to rebalance Oregon’s budget and close a large funding gap at the transportation department.
oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/03/01/t...

Idaho Republican lawmaker proposes reworking library book restriction law • Idaho Capital Sun A Republican Idaho lawmaker proposed significant changes to a law that forced libraries to move materials deemed harmful to children.

A Republican Idaho lawmaker on Friday proposed bills that would make significant changes to a law he pushed for two years ago that forced Idaho public and school libraries to move materials deemed harmful to children, or face lawsuits.

Oregon Senate passes bill to regulate ICE in hospitals • Oregon Capital Chronicle Senate Bill 1570 aims to help hospital staff respond when federal law enforcement arrives on site and protect sensitive information.

Federal agents in Oregon have detained and shot immigrants in hospital parking lots, accessed confidential emergency medical service logs from behind nurses’ desks and interfered with nurses while they care for patients — some with shackled ankles as agents stood guard in exam rooms. buff.ly/InvyecL

What should the Oregon Capital Chronicle ask candidates? We introduced a voter guide with competitive races in 2024 and plan to expand it to cover all legislative, congressional and statewide races in 2026. Questions are based on our own reporting and…

The filing deadline for the May 19 primary election is in just a few weeks. As our team plans primary coverage, we want to hear from you. What do you want to know from candidates to cast an informed vote?
buff.ly/P8zZnoH

Oregon Senate passes bill to regulate ICE in hospitals • Oregon Capital Chronicle Senate Bill 1570 aims to help hospital staff respond when federal law enforcement arrives on site and protect sensitive information.

A bill to regulate ICE in hospitals is halfway to becoming law after the Oregon Senate passed Senate Bill 1570 last night. It must pass the Oregon House of Representatives next before it can head to the governor’s desk.
oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/02/25/o...

Kotek says there's a bipartisan agreement on short-term transportation funding that avoids layoffs but didn't share details when OPB's @dirquez.bsky.social pressed her. This is the most recent public document, a suite of options including potential layoffs.
olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/D...

Kotek says she expects a roughly 1% cut to state expenditures this year, pending the #orleg passing a measure to partially disconnect from the federal tax code that would result in about $300 million in revenue.

Oregon Senate passes bill that would criminalize threats against public officials • Oregon Capital Chronicle People who threaten public officials could face prison time under a bill the Oregon Senate passed 18-11 Tuesday.

People who threaten public officials could face prison time under a bill the Oregon Senate passed 18-11 Tuesday. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/briefs/orego...

Oregon Senate passes bill to reschedule gas tax referral despite GOP opposition • Oregon Capital Chronicle After several delays, a proposal to reschedule the date of a gas tax referendum to May finally passed the Oregon Senate.

After several delays and an encroaching Wednesday deadline, a proposal to reschedule the date of a gas tax referendum to May finally passed the Oregon Senate. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/02/23/o...

Her motion also failed.

That motion failed after 30 minutes of debate. It was a clear attempt by Republicans to delay the bill from advancing.

Now Sen. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, motioned to move the bill to the rules committee.

Brock Smith's motion isn't shocking. Republicans vowed to do everything in their power to stop Oregon Democrats from moving the date of the referendum.

Sen. Brock Smith, R-Port Orford, just motioned to move the day the Senate takes up the referendum bill to March 8, which is the last day of the legislative session. He said this would allow for more public input.

Clock ticks as Oregon lawmakers postpone transportation referendum vote yet again • Oregon Capital Chronicle The Oregon Senate once again postponed a vote on a controversial bill to reschedule a referendum on transportation tax and fee increases.

Time is running out for Democratic lawmakers wanting to move a referendum on gas taxes to an earlier date. They have until Wednesday to get the bill past both chambers and signed by Gov. Tina Kotek. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/02/20/c...

Reporter’s notebook: Minnesotans’ whistles are a warning and a bellwether for Oregon and the nation • Oregon Capital Chronicle A Capital Chronicle reporter goes to Minnesota, where residents have spent months under a federal occupation of immigration agents.

Senior reporter @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social spent last week helping out the @minnesotareformer.com in her hometown of the Twin Cities. She reflects on what she learned there — and what it could mean for Portland. buff.ly/fcEH2zK

US Supreme Court rules against Trump’s tariffs in 6-3 opinion, dealing blow to trade agenda • Oregon Capital Chronicle The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the tariffs President Donald Trump issued under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act are illegal.

Deputy Attorney General Benjamin Gutman in November argued the tariff case before the Supreme Court. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/02/20/r...

Oregon health officials declare measles outbreak with five confirmed cases • Oregon Capital Chronicle State health officials declared a measles outbreak Thursday following five confirmed cases in Oregon.

State health officials declared a measles outbreak Thursday following five confirmed cases in Oregon. buff.ly/Z74DCp2

Labor Secretary’s Husband Barred From the Department After Sexual Assault Reports

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/19/b...

Those bills would require schools to alert parents if ICE appears on campus, require out-of-state law enforcement to follow ID requirements and warrant procedures, and a bill that would let Oregon withhold money from the federal government if it unlawfully keeps money away from the state.

The House so far passed 3 bills on immigrant rights this week.

Oregon Senate advances bill to protect public lands • Oregon Capital Chronicle The Oregon Senate in a 17-11 vote Thursday advanced a bill meant to safeguard public lands against the threat of privatization.

The bill would prohibit state agencies from using any funding, data, equipment or staff to help the federal government sell or transfer federal lands to private parties. The measure puts no restrictions on tribes. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/briefs/orego...

Oregon Senate Republicans end one-day walkout ahead of transportation rederendum vote • Oregon Capital Chronicle Republicans who didn't attend a Senate floor session on Wednesday, delaying a vote on many bills, returned Thursday.

Oregon Republicans ended a brief Senate walkout that threatened to derail Democrats’ plans to reschedule a referendum on controversial transportation tax and fee increases from November to May. buff.ly/ER5rTS6

House and Senate GOP leaders confirmed to @shaanthx.bsky.social and @miamaldonado.bsky.social that today's legislative sessions will proceed, and senators are starting to gather on the floor. Story coming soon. #orleg

Oregon Republicans walk out of Senate ahead of vote on transportation referendum • Oregon Capital Chronicle Republicans in the Oregon Senate staged a walkout ahead of a vote on a bill to reschedule a referendum on controversial transportation tax and fee increases.

No Republicans were present at today's Senate chamber meeting at 1:30 p.m., when lawmakers were expected to take up a controversial bill to reschedule the date for a gas tax referendum to May. oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/02/18/o...