One of the potential statewide measures vying for the November ballot is calling it quits.
FILE – The rainbow flag, also known as the gay pride flag, is a symbol of LGBT and queer pride, left, along with the transgender flag, right, pictured in 2022.
Advertisement
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
A coalition led by the ACLU of Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon and Planned Parenthood has announced it is ending a campaign to amend the Oregon Constitution to guarantee the right to health care for transgender people, abortion and same-sex marriage.
Advocates for LGBTQ+ rights in Oregon had hoped to follow the lead of New York state, which passed a similar measure, Proposition 1, by a wide margin in 2024. They’ve been gathering signatures to qualify an initiative for the November ballot, promoting the measure at Pride events, and raising money.
But on Friday, the coalition announced via an Instagram post that the campaign is over. The coalition thanked community members for their support. It did not offer any explanation as to what led to the change of heart.
“This is a particularly difficult time, as the federal government continues attacking our rights, freedom, and basic humanity,” the post concludes. “We still firmly believe that together, we will build an Oregon where all of us can be who we are, and make our own decisions about our lives and bodies, and access the care that we need.”
Advertisement
The initiative petition had been endorsed by dozens of left-leaning organizations, including heavyweight labor unions like the AFL-CIO and SEIU Local 503.
Campaign finance records show the coalition’s biggest cash expenditures this year — $177,750 — were for polling and surveys.
The measure, known as Equal Rights for All or Initiative 33, had already faced a rocky path to the ballot. Democratic lawmakers had planned to refer it to voters in 2024, but dropped that plan in a deal to end a six-week long walkout by Republicans.
The political action committee supporting the measure has about $130,000 in cash remaining in its accounts.
Oregon law is already protective of gender-affirming care, requiring insurers and the state’s Medicaid program to cover it when it is medically necessary. Abortion is also covered by public and private insurance and Oregon places no specific gestational limit on it.
Advertisement
But those policies could change if the balance of power in Salem shifts.
As it is, the Oregon Constitution prohibits discrimination on account of sex. The proposed measure expanded on that, stating that discrimination is also prohibited based on pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation.
It would have also repealed language in the state constitution that bans same-sex marriage. Oregon voters approved that ban in 2004. The provision has been void since 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that bans on same-sex marriage were unconstitutional.
Sign up today for OPB’s “First Look” – your daily guide to the most important news and culture stories from around the Northwest.
The Oregon Ducks have officially wrapped up their first week of spring practice as preparations for winning their first national championship in program history have begun. After finishing the 2025 season with a 13-2 overall record, the Ducks enter 2026 with two new coordinators on offense and defense.
Advertisement
One of those coordinators is Chris Hampton, who is set to lead the defensive playcalling for the Ducks next season. After the departure of Tosh Lupoi to the California Golden Bears, Hampton takes over as defensive coordinator and looks to keep the Ducks the most dominant group in college football this season.
Advertisement
New co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chris Hampton, right, joins the first practice of spring for Oregon football as they prepare for the 2023 season.
Eug 031623 Uo Spring Fb 06 | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
Advertisement
Following Saturday’s practice, Hampton spoke about how the Ducks’ defense has looked through the first few days of spring football and the strides they are taking to remain dominant heading into the 2026 season.
Getting Better On Defense:
Advertisement
Jan 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Oregon Ducks linebacker Teitum Tuioti (44) reacts after a sack against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second half of the 2025 Orange Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
“I think we can get better, we can obviously grow. We’ve been good on defense, but we want to be elite. I think there’s room for growth for sure. Putting my stamp on it, it’s really not about me and my opinions, it’s about tapping into the players and putting the players in a position to evaluate our talent and how can I utilize our talent to put guys in the right position to make plays,” said Hampton.
Advertisement
On Jett Washington:
“He’s obviously got a rare size-speed combination. He’s a guy who is every bit of 6-5, you know, and he looks the part, for sure. Anyone that comes out there and see him is like, ‘God, that guy’s huge.’ You know, he’s got the right mindset. He really does, man, I love this guy;s mental makeup. He is infatuated with the details. I mean, he watches a lot of film on his own, asks a lot of great questions. He’s a fast learner. I think he’s gonna have a very bright future here.”
Adjusting to New Changes In Secondary:
“Every year is new, especially in today’s age of college football with the transfer portal, you’ve got to be able to adapt and adjust. If you can’t adjust right now, you’re going to die as a coach. Your team may change year to year,” said Hampton.
“I think last season we had to replace five starters. This year, we’ve got a lot of guys coming back, but we lost a lot of guys as well. We’ve got a lot of youth that we’ve got to develop, so it’s just starting over each and every year,” Hampton continued.
Advertisement
Brandon Finney’s Improvement:
Oregon defensive back Brandon Finney Jr. celebrates an interception as the Oregon Ducks take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Advertisement
“Looking back on it with Brandon, and he and I did a study over the offseason, and all we talked about was how he can get better? I think everybody in social media and everybody’s patting him on the back for how great a season he had, and he did. He had a great season, but there’s a lot of room for growth for him, and a lot of room for improvement,” said Hampton.
Advertisement
“Brandon is the type of kid that wants to get better; he’s not really talking about what I did last season, he’s talking about what I didn’t do. What was I not good at? How can I improve, and that’s how you get better. Everybody likes to talk about their strengths and what they’re good at, but if you want to be elite, you’ve got to master your weaknesses, and he does that,” Hampton continued.
SIGN UP FOR THE OREGON DUCKS ON SI NEWSLETTER HERE!
“These reviews aren’t meant to be a victory lap,” said a spokesperson for the lawmaker leading the effort.
It’s not uncommon for Oregon lawmakers to consider public input when reviewing past legislation during each year’s legislative session in hopes of offering an update or technical fix.
This year in Salem, legislators strengthened protections for providers of reproductive and gender-affirming care, fortified Oregon’s first-in-the-nation immigrant protections and incorporated a slew of technical fixes to a complicated campaign finance law set to roll out in the next few years.
But a new tool aimed at improving outcomes, community engagement and oversight announced by House Majority Leader Ben Bowman, D-Tigard, ahead of the session seeks to establish a separate process for reviewing the efficacy of laws.
The caveat? Lawmakers, not the public or their fellow legislators, would choose to revisit their own bills, allowing them to potentially pick laws that let them deliver fast, public-facing wins, rather than tackle complex or politically divisive issues.
House Majority Leader Ben Bowman, D-Tigard, left, and Senate Majority Leader Kayse Jama, D-Portland, talk to reporters on the last day of the legislative session on March 6, 2026. Ahead of the session, Bowman unveiled a new effort to evaluate how Oregon laws are playing out on the ground.
Mia Maldonado / Oregon Capital Chronicle
Advertisement
The model is based on an outcomes review process from legislative leadership in California that began this year. The California program has already drawn criticism from political observers questioning why oversight should be separate from current legislative duties and whether lawmakers would ask tough questions about their own legislation’s implementation.
Mack Smith, a spokesperson for the House Democratic caucus, defended the system on the grounds that average Oregonians “aren’t primed to ask” about administrative delays, confusing terminology or other implementation issues that could get in the way of successful legislation.
“To be clear, these reviews aren’t meant to be a victory lap – they are genuine check ins to make sure legislation is functioning as it was intended,” Smith wrote in an email.
Bowman told reporters last week that he wanted legislators to review their own bills “because we don’t want a situation where people are weaponizing oversight” and trying to “make an argument about why their opponent’s bill is bad.”
He said he plans to conduct a review of the Oregon version of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program, which has already given free books to about 35% of children in the state under the age of 5 and received nearly $2 million in 2023 from legislators. State lawmakers officially codified the statewide program into law this year with the goal of providing a free book every month to children from birth to age 5.
Advertisement
“The questions we’re going to be asking are about implementation, are about rollout. How quickly is this being adopted? Which counties is it most successful in? How is the cost for implementing at the agency?” Bowman said. “And part of that will be talking to parents enrolled in the program and the local partners who are doing it on the ground.”
Laws set to be reviewed range from workforce development to health care
Smith said the lawmakers in Bowman’s pre-session announcement signed up to participate pre-session and have already selected the bills they will be reviewing, with a focus on their areas of expertise and their districts. Republicans were interested in participating, but Smith said they did “not roll out the program with Republican members to start.”
“This is not ultimately a partisan project, but given that Leader Bowman is the Democrat Majority leader, he started with his own caucus,” she wrote.
The laws already set to be reviewed by their authors deal with issues such as a council supporting seniors seeking emergency services, increased coverage of hearing aids, lower deductibles using pharmacy coupons and improved employment and training opportunities in maritime coastal jobs. They could lead to further hearings during legislative days in the spring or reports compiled by legislative analysts.
So far the laws and lawmakers announced by Bowman’s office include:
Advertisement
Rep. Emerson Levy, D-Bend: House Bill 4113 from 2024, which allows a patient to use financial assistance and pharmacy coupons to count toward their health care insurance deductible and help them afford medication.
Rep. Hai Pham, D-Hillsboro: House Bill 2994 from 2024, which expanded insurance coverage for hearing aids and implants for children. Pham is a pediatrician.
Rep. Dacia Grayber, D-Portland: House Bill 2573 from 2025, which extended the sunset to 2030 for a Department of Human Services program that provides pilot project funding to bolster efficient and cost-effective emergency services for seniors living in residential care.
Another author reviewing his own law is Rep. David Gomberg, D-Otis, who said he has been heavily involved in championing maritime workforce issues. He plans to conduct a review of a 2023 law, House Bill 3410, which allocated millions in funding to bolster the state’s outdoor recreation economy and strengthen maritime employment opportunities. That may involve consulting with local stakeholders and state agencies to produce more official findings for legislative review, his office said.
“I would say that we are most familiar with the bills that were passed,” Gomberg told the Capital Chronicle. “So picking areas that we would like special attention, focus on, I think, is constructive.”
But Bowman’s office isn’t committing to keeping the outcomes review process as currently laid out. His spokesperson noted that Oregon is the second state to adopt such a model and that it could see reforms, calling it “a pilot program.”
“It’s not set in stone,” Smith said, “And I would imagine you might see changes to it in the future.”
It’s unclear how many hearings or how much time lawmakers will dedicate to reviewing each law, though Bowman’s pre-session announcement notes that findings will be highlighted “at the end of the legislative year.” No dates have been set for hearings or community meetings for the oversight effort, according to Smith.
Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501(c)(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Julia Shumway for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com. Follow Oregon Capital Chronicle on Facebook and Bluesky.
Advertisement
This republished story is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit opb.org/partnerships.
Sign up today for OPB’s “First Look” – your daily guide to the most important news and culture stories from around the Northwest.
Heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson once lost to 42:1 underdog Bustler Douglas. The greatest quarterback of his generation, Tom Brady, played in three Super Bowl losses.
Tonight, Oregon State’s All-American starting pitcher Dax Whitney had an off night. Despite his three errors, the Beavers won anyways. The full box score of Oregon State’s 7-5 series opening victory can be read here, and our game recap is below.
Advertisement
Oregon State three-batter Easton Talt began the scoring with a two-run blast to right field in the top of the first inning, scoring the Beavers’ leadoff man Jacob Galloway.
Advertisement
Oregon State’s very next batter, cleanup man Adam Haight, went back-to-back after a lift into left. When the first inning ended, the Beavers led 3-0.
The second inning foreshadowed a night Whitney will likely wish to forget. The sophomore standout from Idaho walked the first batter he faced. After striking out the following San Diego hitter – his third strikeout of the night – he misfired a pickoff throw at first base.
In the bottom of the third, San Diego haunted Whitney once again. First, bottom-of-the-order Cade Martinez slugged a double down the left field line. When the Toreros’ leadoff hitter Aden Howard arrived to the plate, his coaches asked him to sacrifice bunt. His effort dribbled to Oregon State’s maestro on the mound, who missed another pickoff throw. This error helped Martinez find the plate, and brought Howard to second. Moments later, a Whitney pickoff attempt at second base instead soared into the outfield, pushing Howard to third. While the Beavers survived the inning only allowing a run, their star pitcher was rattled.
A solo shot by Paul Vasquez in the top of the fifth made it 4-1 Oregon State. When the bottom frame ended, Beavers’ skipper Mitch Canham pulled his pitching ace. Whitney’s night finished with 9 strikeouts, but also 3 hits, 2 walks, 1 wild pitch, and 3 errors.
Advertisement
The sixth inning saw San Diego climb closer, after an Andrew Gaudna base hit delivered Jayden Lobliner from second. Oregon State answered quickly with another two-run homer. This time, Jacob Krieg missile across centerfield scored AJ Singer from first. An inning later, Singer contributed to an additional Beavers run: his single delivered Talt from second, and Oregon State carried a five run advantage, 7-2.
Advertisement
San Diego rallied in the bottom of the eighth. Facing an 0-2 count with one out, cleanup batter Gabe Springer singled off Oregon State junior reliever Noah Scott. The Toreros’ next hitter CJ Moran doubled down the right field line. That sparked a mound visit, but Scott stayed on the mound. San Diego soon made the Beavers pay with a bases-loading walk, and a pair of runs. First, Springer scored on a George Mestas groundout to first, and then pinch hitter Jayton Greer singled through the right side of the infield, assisting Moran’s trip home. Now, the upset bid was on: entering the ninth inning, San Diego trailed 7-5.
Oregon State almost added an insurance run in the top of the ninth – a Tyler Inge sacrifice bunt brought Vasquez all the way to third base – but a Galloway groundout and Haight strikeout stranded Vasquez ninety feet short of paydirt.
To secure the final three outs, the Beavers called upon closer Albert Roblez. The transfer from Long Beach State, one of the orange & black’s best relievers this season, forced Toreros’ hitter Howard into a groundout. Then Roblez struck out the next man Connor Meidroth. Following a walk, Roblez retired Springer with another strikeout, and the Beavers’ escaped Friday night’s series opener with a 7-5 victory.
At the game’s conclusion, Oregon State’s record surged to 12-4; their win streak is now 7 games long. Despite an uncharacteristically sloppy showing by All-American pitcher Dax Whitney, the Beavers’ best pitcher earned his fourth win of the season, and Albert Roblez recorded his sixth save. Oregon State will battle San Diego again tomorrow night at 5 PM PST.
