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News Release

Contact:    Robin Maxey                                                                  January 6, 2012

                   (503) 986-1605   

                   robin.maxey@state.or.us                                                             

Senate Committees Will Again

Feature Bi-Partisan Design

Legislature’s First ‘Short Session’ Set to Begin February 1

(SALEM) – Building on the success of the 2011 session, Senate President Peter Courtney Friday announced the membership of Senate Committees for the 2012 session. Once again, the committees will have a decidedly bi-partisan design.

Three committees will be chaired by members of the Republican minority and three committees – Finance and Revenue; Business, Transportation and Economic Development; and Veterans and Military Affairs – will feature equal numbers of Democratic and Republican senators.

The 2012 session is the first session in an even-numbered year since voters amended the Oregon Constitution in 2010 to require limited annual legislative sessions. The 2012 session is set to begin February 1 and is limited to 35 calendar days.

Until this year, the Oregon Legislature has met every other year. From 1860 to 1882, lawmakers met in the fall of even-numbered years. Beginning in 1885, the Legislature met in odd-numbered years starting in January.