Oregon Public Broadcasting

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Oregon state senators prepare for a floor session on March 21. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Republican senators walk from Oregon Capitol as vote on contentious abortion bill nears

GOP senators have been threatening in recent weeks to deny Democrats a quorum. Their effort could test new voter-approved rules.

May 4, 2023

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U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland in 2016. | SHUTTERSTOCK

Wyden on court rulings and the battle over access to abortion drug mifepristone

A conversation with U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, who has been advocating for protecting access to mifepristone for Americans

Apr 25, 2023

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A reproductive rights protest in Washington D.C. on Oct. 2, 2021. | SHUTTERSTOCK

Washington judge confirms mifepristone access in 18 states, including Oregon and Washington

The federal ruling Thursday reaffirms an initial order last week, which preserved access to a widely used abortion drug in Oregon, Washington and 16 other states

Apr 14, 2023

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Protesters gather at the U.S. Supreme Court on May 3, 2022, after a report that the court will overturn Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to abortion. | SHUTTERSTOCK

Dueling federal rulings leave abortion drug access in limbo, as Oregon, Washington prepare to fight back

A federal court in Texas ruled the FDA approval of mifepristone should be overturned, but a federal court in Washington ruled the FDA must continue to make the drug available in some states

Apr 8, 2023

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SHUTTERSTOCK

What Oregonians need to know about the Medicaid income verification starting this month

Oregon is processing eligibility redeterminations for all 1.5 million Oregon Health Plan and Children’s Health Insurance members, and it’s a process fraught with challenges

Apr 6, 2023

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Many counterfeit pills containing fentanyl are indistinguishable from oxycodone. | U.S. DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION

Oregon bill to teach students about opioid dangers passes the Senate

School districts will be required to implement the lessons, which will be available in the 2024-2025 school year

Apr 4, 2023

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The Capitol Building in Salem, Ore., on March 21, 2023. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Oregon lawmakers consider expanding insurance coverage for gender-affirming care

A bill aimed at strengthening access to abortion and gender-affirming care would require insurers to pay for laser hair removal and facial feminization surgery

Mar 27, 2023

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A group of rural Boardman residents assemble in a garage to speak with U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley about nitrates in Boardman, Ore., Jan. 20, 2023. | ANTONIO SIERRA/OPB

‘We’re not going away.’ EPA pressures Oregon to clean up groundwater pollution

The EPA can step in and require the state to clean up pollution under the Safe Drinking Water Act

Mar 23, 2023

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An empty hallway is pictured at the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facilities (NORCOR) jail in The Dalles, Ore., Monday, July 31, 2017. | CONRAD WILSON/OPB

Bill to create a commission overseeing health care in Oregon jails has died

HB 3391 would have created a commission to set standards and also conduct inspections

Mar 23, 2023

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People in rural communities have higher incidents of overdoses, alcohol related deaths and suicides, than those living in more urban areas. Suicide risks are particularly high for men working in fishing, farming and ranching industries. | EMILY CURETON COOK/OPB

In rural Oregon, there’s a higher need for mental health care, but few options

OPB concludes its series on holes in the mental health system with a look at the stresses and wider lack of mental health services in rural Oregon

Mar 21, 2023