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Hello Senate District 19 and beyond,
The Oregon Legislature has gathered once again, now for 166 years running — 30 Senators, 60 Representatives, representing more than 4.2 million Oregonians. Joining us are a bevy of staffers, researchers, analysts, parliamentarians, media coordinators and information specialists all in Salem to tackle the state's biggest challenges over the next five months.
I couldn't be more excited that the 83rd Oregon Legislative Assembly is finally together and meeting in the Capitol, with new and returning public servants here to do their best to represent their constituents and make Oregon a better place.
Legislators in both chambers and across party lines agree on the tough issues we must focus on this session: affordability; housing and homelessness; improving public education and pathways to careers; and community health and safety. We are also laser-focused on stabilizing our transportation system for the 21st century to provide for the maintenance and safety of our roads, bridges, and transit options.
These are the topics that we have heard directly from our constituents are most important for us to make progress on this session.
I encourage everyone to follow along with our work closely over the next five months. So far, more than 2,500 pieces of legislation have been introduced. The Oregon Legislative Information System (olis.oregonlegislature.gov) is a powerful tool to track legislation, committee hearings and votes, albeit with a bit of a learning curve.
Stay engaged, make your voices heard, and welcome all to the 2025 legislative session.
I am deeply honored to have been elected by my fellow senators to the position of Senate President for the 83rd Legislative Assembly. I take the responsibility to guide and lead the Senate very seriously and I am committed to making the Senate a place where the best ideas become policies to help Oregonians.
When I took my oath of office two years ago, I shared three values that have guided my leadership in every position I’ve ever held: keeping an open mind, maintaining an open door, and leaning into kindness.
As I reflected on these past two years of service, I revisited these values. I realized that while these served as good guideposts during my first term as Senate President, they needed to be honed.
1. Good ideas can come from anywhere, and we must work to fully respect ideas that are not our own.
2. An open door is not enough — this work requires active engagement always.
3. To build a better politics, we must start with kindness.
I believe in the power of relationships as the foundation for good policy-making; it is much easier to have a hard conversation with a friend than with a stranger. On opening day, I challenged my fellow senators to each have a real, substantive conversation with the 29 other members of the body. Too long our politics have been defined by division — it's on us to try to build a politics in Oregon where we can disagree strongly and at the end of the day still believe in the goodness of one another.
Here is a link to my opening day speech in the Senate, as well as my speech during the joint session later that day.
 Eternally grateful my wife Laurie could join me as I took my oath after being elected Senate President. None of us would be able to do our work without our families, myeslf most of all.
This week, the Oregon Legislature said goodbye to a one-of-a-kind figure in the history of Oregon politics: Peter Michael Coleman Courtney, the longest-serving legislator and Senate President in state history.
The ceremony was beautiful. Hundreds of people who worked with Peter closely over the years arrived in the Senate chamber: governors, congresspeople, former staff and, of course, Peter's beloved family. Each speaker told stories of how Peter impacted their lives, in big ways and in small, and how he worked tirelessly to help Oregonians, particularly children.
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I won't attempt to eulogize in this newsletter — there is far too much to say and anything I could say would pale in comparison to the ceremony and the many stories we heard. This link will take you to the 2-hour ceremony; it would be well worth your time to watch it.
All I will say here is that it truly felt like Peter was in the room with us that day. He lives on in each of the people whose lives he touched, and in the Senate chamber where he left an indelible mark. His style of governance has infused itself in the walls of the Oregon Legislature — his legacy will be with us always.
As we continue this legislative session with his memory, my thoughts are with his wife Margie and his sons and everyone who knew and loved Peter.
 I'm grateful to have played a small role in remembering the man and his legacy.
It was my privilege this week to welcome to the Senate President's Office Portland State University leadership, Masami Nishishiba, director of the Hatfield School of Government, and Joshua Eastin, chair of the Department of Politics and Global Affairs.
As an alum of Portland State University, it's always special to engage with the university that gives so much to its students and the entire Portland region. Our future leaders, scientists, artists, businesspeople, teachers and more are being educated at PSU every year. We are incredibly fortunate to have amazing institutions of higher learning in Oregon.
During their visit, Masami and Joshua also presented me with a recognition for public service, which I greatly appreciated.
 Thank you to Hatfield School Director Masami Nishishiba Politics and Global Affairs Department Chair Joshua Eastin for meeting with me in the Senate President's Office for this recognition.
The same week that Oregon's adult Legislature started getting underway, Oregon's 8th Kid Governor Rosie had her inauguration ceremony in the Senate chamber.
Rosie is a 5th grader at Riverdale Grade School — within my Senate District, I'm proud to say — and was elected after a campaign consisting of a short video describing what she would do as Kid Governor. She ran on a platform of addressing climate change with a focus on what we can all do to help; you can view her campaign video here.
Each finalist ran on a platform that demonstrated a deep care for Oregonians and their fellow students, and those who weren't elected joined Rosie's cabinet to help her achieve her goals. I am a huge cheerleader for Oregon's public schools, and I was incredibly proud of each of these students and their thoughtfulness.
I'm excited to see all that Rosie and her cabinet will accomplish this year.
 It was amazing to meet Rosie and her family during her swearing-in. I look forward to seeing everything she will accomplish this year.
Statesman Journal: Oregon Capitol carpet items and other exclusives on shelves of pop-up store
The carpet craze at PDX has nothing on the Oregon Capitol Store. The store has an entire line of items emblazoned with designs of the custom carpet in the House and Senate chambers. The House carpet features the Douglas fir, the state tree. The Senate carpet features the Chinook salmon, the state fish.
The Oregonian: Oregon lawmakers may prohibit lottery players from selling winning tickets
State lawmakers are considering banning winners of large prizes in the Oregon Lottery from reselling their tickets in order to block schemes that enable tax evasion and uncollected child support payments.
Oregon Capital Chronicle: After Oregon governor steps in, Providence and nurses union resume talks amid strike
The nurses union and Providence Health & Services officials are returning to in-person mediation Wednesday after Gov. Tina Kotek requested they do so to end the largest health care worker strike in state history.
KATU: Winter Storm Warning in effect as heavy snow, strong winds hit Oregon and Washington
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect in parts of Oregon and Washington as a winter storm system has begun dropping moderate-to-heavy snow in the Cascades and Blue Mountains, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Replies to this message are sent to an unmonitored mailbox.
If you would like to contact the Senate President's Office, send an email or call and either myself or a staff member will assist you. If you are a constituent coming to Salem and want to arrange a meeting, I'm always happy to meet, so please let us know well in advance as my schedule fills up quickly.
email: Sen.RobWagner@OregonLegislature.gov
phone: 503-986-1600
address: 900 Court St NE, S-201, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/wagner
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