Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, the upper house being the Oregon State Senate. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of approximately 65,000. The House meets in the west wing of the Oregon State Capitol in Salem.
Members of the House serve two-year terms without term limits. In 2002, the Oregon Supreme Court struck down Oregon Ballot Measure 3 (1992), that had restricted State Representatives to three terms on procedural grounds.
In the current legislative session, Democrats have 37 seats, a slim 2 seat supermajority, while the Republicans have a minority of 23 seats.
Current session
| Position | Representative | District | Party | Residence |
| Speaker of the House | Julie Fahey | 14 | Democratic | Eugene |
| Speaker pro Tempore | David Gomberg | 10 | Democratic | Otis |
| Majority Leader | Ben Bowman | 25 | Democratic | Tigard |
| Majority Whip | Andrea Valderrama | 47 | Democratic | Portland |
| Assistant Majority Leaders | Pam Marsh | 5 | Democratic | Ashland |
| Assistant Majority Leaders | Hai Pham | 36 | Democratic | Hillsboro |
| Assistant Majority Leaders | Annessa Hartman | 40 | Democratic | Gladstone |
| Minority Leader | Lucetta Elmer | 24 | Republican | McMinnville |
| Deputy Minority Leader | Alex Skarlatos | 4 | Republican | Winston |
| Minority Whip | Virgle Osborne | 2 | Republican | Roseburg |
| Assistant Minority Leaders | Shelly Boshart Davis | 15 | Republican | Albany |
| Assistant Minority Leaders | Mark Owens | 60 | Republican | Crane |
| Assistant Minority Leaders | Emily McIntire | 56 | Republican | Eagle Point |
Composition
The Republican Party held the majority in the House for many years until the Democratic Party gained a majority following the Oregon [legislative elections, 2006|2006 elections].After losing several seats in the 2010 elections, resulting in a split control between both parties for one legislative term, Democrats regained their majority in the 2012 elections. The Oregon State Senate has been under continuous Democratic control since 2005. On June 10, 2021, Republican Mike Nearman was expelled from the house by a 59–1 vote for intentionally letting armed protesters into the Oregon State Capitol to protest against health restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon. This was the first time a member of the legislature has been expelled in the state's history. The lone no vote was by Nearman himself.
Milestones
- 1914: Marian B. Towne became the first woman elected to the Oregon House
- 1972: Bill McCoy became the first Black person to serve in the House
- 1985: Margaret Carter became the first Black woman elected to the House
- 1986: Rocky Barilla became the first Latino Americans|Latino] elected to the House
- 1991: Gail Shibley became the first openly gay person to serve in the House
- 2013: Jessica Vega Pederson became the first Latina woman to serve in the House
- 2013: Tina Kotek became the first openly gay person to serve as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives
- 2021: Mike Nearman became the first person to be expelled from the Legislature
- 2022: Janelle Bynum became the first Black person to receive votes for Speaker of the House
- 2022: Travis Nelson became the first openly gay person of color to serve in the House
Officers
Chief Clerk
"The Chief Clerk of the House is the administrative officer elected for a two-year term by the membership of the House of Representatives to be responsible for ensuring that the chamber's business and proceedings run smoothly. The Chief Clerk's Office is therefore responsible for a multiplicity of duties including the processing of the official business of the House, providing the proper setting for consideration and enactment of Oregon laws, maintaining the Rules of the House of Representatives, and advising presiding officers and other members on the proper interpretation of chamber rules and protocols."The Office of the Chief Clerk also comprises a Deputy Chief Clerk, Journal Clerk, Measure History Clerk, Reading Clerk, and a Sergeant-at-Arms.