Leaders in the Oregon Senate were preparing Tuesday to once again delay a vote on a transportation funding bill, amid concerns about the health of a senator who is key to its passage.

According to legislative staffers in both chambers, top Democrats were making plans to push back a long-planned floor session – potentially by weeks – in order to offer more time for Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Gresham, to recuperate. The exact date of a rescheduled vote was not clear shortly after 5 p.m.

Gorsek suffered complications following a recent surgery, and has been hospitalized for weeks. But Democrats are relying on his presence in the Capitol to muster the 18 votes necessary to pass the tax and fee increases Gov. Tina Kotek has urged them to send to her desk.

Democrats had said repeatedly they expected Gorsek to be ready and able to appear at the Capitol on Wednesday, though Kotek sounded less than certain when speaking to reporters Monday.

“The signs are good that everyone will be able to be there on Wednesday,” she said. “Hopefully that will be the close of the special session. But, you know, life can intervene. If something comes up we’ll continue to extend until we get it done.”

If it transpires, the delay would mark just the latest hurdle for a special legislative session Kotek and other top Democrats hoped would be a breezy Labor Day weekend affair. Instead the session has been marred by repeated delays since it convened Aug. 29.

First, Democrats in the House could not gavel in, when not enough Republicans showed up to grant the chamber a quorum. Then, Gorsek’s ongoing health struggles ensured a vote planned for Sept. 3 was pushed back.

Early Tuesday afternoon, Kotek’s office and Senate leaders were planning to convene Wednesday. It was not clear what about Gorsek’s condition had changed to alter that plan. A spokesman for Senate President Rob Wagner said he could not comment, and neither Gorsek nor one of his staff members responded to an inquiry.

If senators do push back the vote once again, they could set a floor vote for Sept. 29, when lawmakers are already scheduled to be in session for periodic committee meetings.

But any additional delay will come at a cost to taxpayers.

Senate rules allow each of the chamber’s members to collect a $178 per diem payment for every day they are in session, regardless of whether they convene or not. That’s an additional cost of $5,340 per day.

Even House members, who technically voted to adjourn on Sept. 1, receive a per diem anytime the House gavels in. Under the state Constitution, it has to do so at least every four days until the session concludes – even if no business is conducted. That’s an additional cost of more than $10,600 each day it occurs.

Some Democrats have said they plan to donate money they receive on days they don’t work.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/09/16/oregon-special-session-vote-transportation-funding-bill-delay/