Oregon
Oregon lawmakers pass bill authorizing governor to fill US Senate vacancies
What to know about Oregon’s short, long legislative sessions
What is the difference between Oregon’s short and long legislative sessions?
The Oregon Legislature passed a bill on June 3 that would allow the governor of Oregon to appoint a U.S. senator to represent the state temporarily in the event of a vacancy.
Under current state law, vacancies in the U.S. Senate are filled by a special election, and the seat remains empty until the special election is held.
If Kotek signs Senate Bill 952, Oregon would become the 47th state to grant the governor the authority to fill a vacancy. North Dakota, Rhode Island and Wisconsin do not allow temporary appointments before a special election is held, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
SB 952 would require the governor to appoint within 30 days of a vacancy an individual qualified to hold office who is affiliated with the same political party as the previous senator.
A special election would be required within 150 days of the vacancy.
SB 952 passed by a vote of 31-24 on June 3 in the Oregon House and passed on a 16-13 vote in the Oregon Senate on April 28.
Why advocates for Oregon Senate Bill 952 say it is necessary
“Senate Bill 952A is a safeguard,” said Rep. Hai Pham, D-Hillsboro. “It ensures that Oregonians are always represented and never left without a voice in the U.S. Senate during critical moments.”
Oregon U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley submitted letters in support of SB 952. Wyden stated in his testimony that collaboration between two senators is crucial to making the state a better place to work and live.
“Oregonians would have only half a voice in the U.S. Senate if our state lacked a senator because of death or injury for a prolonged period. And that in turn could hurt our state significantly,” Wyden wrote.
Merkley echoed Wyden’s testimony in a letter he submitted to the Legislature, saying both voices matter for the state.
“If Oregon is left without a Senator for several months because a vacancy occurs and current law does not provide for an appointment, then that critical work will not happen, and it could have significant repercussions for the people of Oregon,” Merkley wrote.
What opponents said about authorizing Oregon governor to appoint a US senator
Opponents who spoke on the floor included Republicans and Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, who expressed concerns that the measure would erode voters’ power.
“It takes a step closer to centralizing control and a step away from democratic values,” said Rep. Dwayne Yunker, R-Grants Pass.
House Republican Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, said the bill was unnecessary. She recalled her campaign for governor and said appointees should not be allowed to represent without undergoing a similar process.
“[Campaigning] is grueling, it is humbling, it is demanding, and it is appropriate that it be so,” Drazan said. “It demands more than policy knowledge or just political connections … Senate Bill 952 hands power to insiders and it takes it from the people. That is always a mistake.”
Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com or on X @DianneLugo
A 73-year-old man was sentenced on Tuesday to 20 years in prison for the 1983 killing of his then-girlfriend. It was a case that went unsolved for more than 40 years.
The sentence was announced by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield.
In July 1983, Teresa Peroni, 27, was reported missing after attending a party in the Selma area of Josephine County southwest of Grants Pass. She was last seen walking in the woods with her boyfriend Marcus Sanfratello.
Authorities deemed Peroni’s disappearance suspicious, but they lacked evidence to bring charges against anyone.
In 1997, a human skull was found on private property near where Peroni disappeared. In 2024, authorities in Josephine County reopened the case. In addition to re-interviewing witnesses, they collected new DNA evidence to build a case against Sanfratello.
With the DNA, experts at the University of North Texas confirmed the skull was Peroni’s.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Man arraigned on murder charge in Oregon for death of then-girlfriend in 1980s cold case
A grand jury indicted Sanfratello of second-degree murder, on June 27, 2025.
Police arrested Sanfratello in Chico, California the next day. He was then extradited to Oregon to face the charge of murder.
Under a plea agreement, Sanfratello pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter.
He will serve at least 10 years in prison, Oregon’s attorney general’s office said.
“For Teresa Peroni’s family, this has been a 43-year wait for an answer they never should have had to wait for,” Rayfield said in a news release. “Cases like this remind us of why we don’t give up. It doesn’t matter how many years have passed — if someone took a life, we’re going to keep working until we can hold them accountable.”
Oregon
100+ Women Who Care of Central Oregon Donates Nearly $20,000 to M Perfectly – The Source – Bend, Oregon
The Oregon Ducks are set for one of the biggest timelines of their recruiting cycle, as many top targets are nearing commitments. This time around, the Ducks have a ton of top targets still remaining on their board compared to past seasons, as the Ducks have eight total commitments at this time.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning and his staff still need to land a safety commitment, but three-star safety Elijah Butler out of Maryland recently included the Ducks in his final six schools.
Oregon Target Elijah Butler Makes Exciting Recruiting Announcement
Butler announced his top six schools ahead of a crucial part of his recruitment, according to a graphic by Leyton Roberts. The Ducks made the cut alongside the Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies, Auburn Tigers, Florida Gators, and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The talented prospect would be a great addition for any of these teams, as they could all use a safety prospect at this point in the recruiting timeline.
Butler is from the state of Maryland, which makes the Terrapins one to watch.
It is also worth noting that he has been labeled as one of the best players in the state of Maryland, as he currently ranks as the state’s No. 9 prospect, according to Rivals. This is important as the Terrapins have always made solid attempts to land their in-state stars, including last season when they landed one of the better players in the state’s history, Zion Elee.
As of now, the prospect hasn’t been predicted to land with any of these schools, which means it is likely still a tight race entering the official visit schedule. He has yet to schedule an official visit with all of the schools he has listed in his top six, as he is still missing three key official visits. Butler has scheduled official visits with Alabama, Auburn, and Florida, according to 247Sports. This means he still needs to set one with Oregon, Virginia Tech, and Maryland if he wants to take one to each school.
If the Ducks are able to get Butler on a visit, then they would likely be in a more favorable position to land his commitment, as it currently. seems they are one of the trailing teams from this list. It seems highly unlikely that the Ducks will gain his commitment unless they get him on an official visit, which is still possible at this point, as plenty of top prospects across the nation are still scheduling their official visits.
As of now, the Ducks have 27 prospects set to take an official visit, according to 247Sports. Among all of the prospects who have scheduled a visit thus far, only one of the players is listed as a safety. That player is a three-star target, Junior Tu’upo. This leads one to believe that the Ducks could try to get Butler on a visit, or at a minimum, pitch their program to the prospect from St Frances Academy.
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