Lawmakers looking to limit bill introductions to streamline workload

In recent Oregon legislative sessions, fewer than one bill out of three introduced actually becomes law, many because there isn't time to consider them.

Worried the Legislature is spending too much time on bills going nowhere, lawmakers are beginning to seriously consider limiting the number of bills they can introduce each regular session.

This could lighten the workload of legislative lawyers, and some lawmakers believe that having fewer bills would allow them to focus on fine-tuning the most important pieces of legislation.

"If you have limits and the magnitude of the number of bills isn’t as great, I think you can truly hold public hearings and work sessions," Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, said. "When a bill goes out, you think it’s really been worked.”

Read more: https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2019/06/17/oregon-legislature-discuss-plan-limit-bills-legislative-sessions/1335302001/