SALEM — Oregon Senate Republicans who’ve fled the state Capitol have made it clear they object to Democrats’ multibillion-dollar business tax plan to fund education.

They are pushing Democrats to send the plan, which already passed the House last week, back to committee for unspecified changes that could delay it indefinitely.

But the caucus also has a long list of demands it delivered to Senate Democrats, first on Tuesday and then a modified version on Wednesday morning, according to a document reviewed by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Republicans have denied Democrats the quorum of 20 members necessary to conduct business two days in a row this week, starting on Tuesday when the tax plan was first scheduled for a floor vote. It’s one of the only tactics Republicans can use to block legislation they dislike, given Democrats hold three-fifths supermajorities necessary to raise taxes in both chambers of the Legislature.

Senate Republican Leader Herman Baertschiger, Jr. said in a press release Tuesday that his caucus has been in talks with Democrats and Republicans and “will continue the walkout until more progress has been made."

Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, said during a briefing with reporters Wednesday afternoon that he does "not see that (education funding) bill going back to committee ... It is perhaps the most significant thing we’ve done for K-12 and early learning since I’ve ever been in the legislature.”

Courtney did not rule out negotiating with Republicans regarding their other demands and he did not answer a reporter’s question about whether engaging with Republicans who refuse to attend floor sessions might encourage lawmakers to rely more on the tactic in the future. Oregon lawmakers rarely use the strategy, although Democrats in the House employed it in 2001 during a disagreement over a redistricting proposal.

In an interview Wednesday afternoon, Baertschiger said Republicans want to ask voters to approve an amendment to the state Constitution that would ensure the new tax money could only be spent on education. Baertschiger said he also wants other “technical” changes to the tax plan that he would not specify. "The walkout has a lot more things going than just that,” he said.

In addition to sending House Bill 3427 back to committee, Republicans are insisting that Democrats kill some of the highest profile bills the Legislature is considering this session. On Tuesday, the list of bills Republicans wanted to thwart included the following, according to a copy of the list reviewed by The Oregonian/OregonLive:

Republicans also listed two bills they want Democrats to ensure will pass: Senate Bill 1008, which would end the automatic referral of juveniles facing Measure 11 charges to adult court, and House Bill 2005, a family and medical paid leave plan. On the family and medical leave plan, Republicans included the proviso that it be shaped to meet their approval. The criminal justice reform bill has the support of Jackie Winters, a Salem Republican who is the former caucus leader.

In exchange, Republicans offered to return to the Capitol so that Senate Democrats have a quorum and can resume the business of passing bills. They also offered to provide five votes to pass a “fix” lawmakers are working on for the state’s underfunded public pension system, known as PERS.

The Oregonian/OregonLive has reported the changes Democratic leaders are considering could actually make the problem worse, including by lengthening the payback period for the system’s deficit. Republicans’ offer to provide votes for the pension plan suggests Democrats might lack support within their own caucus to pass even technical changes. Courtney characterized Democrats’ pension plan differently, telling reporters that it “is a full faith attempt to deal with that monster.”

On Wednesday morning, Senate Republicans shortened their list of bills that must be killed to the diesel, greenhouse gas cap and gun control proposals. They continued to insist on the passage of the criminal justice reform and family and medical leave plans and sending the tax plan back to committee, in exchange for returning to the Capitol and providing five votes to support public pension changes.

Concerning the diesel bill, the trucking industry has fiercely — and successfully — opposed tightening regulations on cancer-causing pollution from diesel engines for years, as The Oregonian/OregonLive has reported. Political candidates from both parties accepted similar amounts of money from the Oregon Truck political action committee last year, including Democratic leaders in both chambers and Gov. Kate Brown.

However, many senators refrain from accepting campaign contributions during the legislative session and the House has a rule against it. Senate Republicans’ political action committee, The Leadership Fund, has continued fundraising and received $200 from Creed V. Brattain, the CEO of the truck dealership company Brattain International Trucks, Inc.

Baertschiger said the Senate Republican political action committee uses a digital fundraising system that is not targeting lobbyists but is “always going on.”

"I wouldn’t try to connect the dots and say it’s to do something,” Baertschiger said of Brattain’s contribution. “It’s just people that support us.”

— Hillary Borrud | hborrud@oregonian.com | 503-294-4034 | @hborrud

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