Salem, OR—On June 15, 2023, the Oregon Senate passed an amended House Bill 2002. Senate Republicans reached an agreement to end their six-week walkout and restart the legislative session. After more than a month of the Senate being unable to conduct floor business, Democrats agreed to a number of concessions on key legislation.
Initiated in response to unconstitutional bills, the walkout put pressure on pro-abortion legislators to amend controversial bills, including House Bill 2002.
“At the beginning of May, HB 2002 was on track to glide through the Oregon Senate without any meaningful debate, let alone amendments,” said Oregon Right to Life executive director Lois Anderson. “Because pro-life senators walked out, courageously putting their political careers on the line, HB 2002 was reined in. Though the amendments do not resolve all our concerns, the changes to HB 2002 retain protections for parents and children–born and unborn–that would have been removed.”
The concessions eliminate significant provisions in House Bill 2002, such as the withholding of information from parents about abortions and the repeal of the crime of “concealing the death of an infant.” The deal also included a commitment to keep Senate Judicial Resolution 33 from a floor vote.
Anderson continued, “I hope this is the beginning of Oregon’s political leaders walking toward more protections for unborn Oregonians.”
