Oregon Cap-and-Trade Bill Proposal Will Now be Easier for State Legislature to Pass
By Pete Danko, Portland Business Journal.
Republicans have taken to referring to it as a tax, but a proposal to limit greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon could pass the Legislature with simple majorities — not three-fifths supermajorities — in the opinion of the state's legislative counsel.
The counsel, responding to an inquiry from Republican Sen. Alan Olsen, said Senate Bill 1070 didn't qualify as a "bill for raising revenue." Under the state constitution, such bills require three-fifths margins.
Democrats intend to push for passage of the cap-and-trade measure, which has the support of Gov. Kate Brown, in the 2018 short session.