The New Legislative Landscape

The New Legislative Landscape in Oregon

The dust has settled and the frenzied pace of this year’s election has subsided. While Oregon saw record spending on political advertisements, an extremely competitive governor’s race, and a fairly discontent electorate, Democrats continued their 40-year hold on the governor’s office and retained control of both chambers of the Legislature. Governor-Elect Tina Kotek (D) won a tight race over her opponents Republican Christine Drazan and unaffiliated Betsy Johnson, and Republicans were able to pick up one seat in the Senate and two seats in the House.  

What does this mean for next session? While the size of the Democrats’ majority in the House and the Senate was relatively unchanged, the passage of Ballot Measure 113 will change the dynamics considerably. Because BM 113 bars legislators with 10 or more unexcused absences from filing for reelection, the current Republican minority will likely no longer be able to use “the walkout” as a means to stall or block legislation.  

Finally, as next year’s legislature is charged with adopting the 2023-25 biennial budget, the state’s fiscal health will be top of mind for legislators. Oregon’s most recent revenue forecast predicts a “mild recession” that could lead lawmakers to plan for reduced revenue heading into the next biennium. However, Oregon has significant reserves due to record-breaking revenues over the last 10 quarterly-revenue forecasts.  The new legislative session will begin on January 17th.

You can contact your legislator today and urge them to make OSU and higher education a priority during the 2023 session.

OSU Programs Across the State

The OSU Extension Service provides vital programs to every community in the state, both rural and urban. Here are a couple excellent examples of the work Beavers are doing across Oregon:

Find out what OSU is doing in your community here.

Pre-game Festivities

Thanks to the 163 guests who attended our Parent and Family Weekend Tailgate prior to the November 12th football game against Cal. The Beaver Caucus co-presents with the Associated Students of OSU and the OSU’s alumni engagement team. Special thanks to Speaker of the House and Corvallis Representative Dan Rayfield, OSU President Jayathi Murthy, ASOSU President Matteo Paola and ASOSU Veterans & Non-Traditional Students Advocacy Coordinator Angelina Trillo for being part of the program.

Find out more about OSU’s parent and family programs.

Thanks for all you do to support our great university! Go Beavs!

Bill Perry
President

The Beaver Caucus is an independent, alumni-led organization. It is a 501(c)4 with an independent board of directors. The Caucus works closely with the OSU Foundation to engage alumni and supporters, giving them the opportunity to amplify their voice and have a substantive impact on state government.

We are seeking volunteers to meet with us virtually for a 15-minute Zoom call to record a brief testimonial video. Check out this short video from former Beaver Caucus board member Tina Bull to see how it’s done. The video featuring your story will be shared across our social media and other marketing platforms. Alumni, students, faculty members and OSU community members are all invited to participate. All we need is your enthusiasm and Beaver pride. Sign up to record a video testimonial today!

Looking for other ways to advocate?

Send an email to your state legislators to let them know why you advocate for OSU.
Follow the Beaver Caucus on our social media platforms, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Tell a friend about the Beaver Caucus and urge them to join and become an advocate.

We hope you will join us in spreading the word about OSU and the great work the university is doing across the state.

Here are some places around the state you can find OSU in September:

Thank you for all you do to support our great university!

Go Beavs!

Bill Perry
President

Join The Beaver Caucus today!