The 72nd Oregon Legislative Assembly convened in January 2003 for its regular session, which on August 8 of that year surpassed the 1993 session as the longest in the U.S. state of Oregon's history. In the senate, which was evenly divided between 15 Democrats and 15 Republicans, Democratic President Peter Courtney and Republican President Pro Tempore Lenn Hannon were praised by The Oregonian for managing to avoid partisan gridlock. The House was composed of 35 Republicans and 25 Democrats.
Then-state senator Betsy Johnson cited reasons for the extended session in a legislative update: a need to revamp the state budget in the face of declining revenues, and the political dynamics of a new Democratic governor (Ted Kulongoski), a Republican-controlled House of Representatives, and the evenly divided Senate.
The legislature passed a major reform of the state public pension program, PERS, and approved the biggest state transportation investment plan in Oregon history.
In contrast with the 71st Oregon Legislative Assembly, which held five special sessions in 2002, the 72nd convened only for its regular 2003 session, and did not convene in 2004.
Senate The Senate was composed of 15 Democrats and 15 Republicans.
Senate members
District Home Senator Party 1 Roseburg Bill Fisher Republican 2 Jacksonville Jason Atkinson Republican 3 Ashland Lenn Hannon Republican 4 Cottage Grove Tony Corcoran Democratic Eugene Floyd Prozanski 5 Coos Bay Ken Messerle Republican 6 Springfield Bill Morrisette Democratic 7 Eugene Vicki Walker Democratic 8 Corvallis Frank Morse Republican 9 Molalla Roger Beyer Republican 10 Salem Jackie Winters Republican 11 Peter Courtney Democratic 12 Newberg Gary George Republican 13 Hillsboro Charles Starr Republican 14 Beaverton Ryan Deckert Democratic 15 Aloha Bruce Starr Republican 16 Salem Joan Dukes Democratic 17 Beaverton Charlie Ringo Democratic 18 Portland Ginny Burdick Democratic 19 Tualatin Richard Devlin Democratic 20 Canby Kurt Schrader Democratic 21 Portland Kate Brown Democratic 22 Margaret Carter Democratic 23 Avel Gordly Democratic 24 Frank Shields Democratic 25 Fairview John Minnis Republican 26 Hood River Rick Metsger Democratic 27 Bend Bev Clarno Republican 28 Klamath Falls Steve Harper Republican 29 Pendleton David Nelson Republican 30 John Day Ted Ferrioli Republican
House members The House was composed of 25 Democrats and 35 Republicans.
District Home Representative Party 1 Gold Beach Wayne Krieger Republican 2 Myrtle Creek Susan Morgan Republican 3 Grants Pass Gordon Anderson Republican 4 Central Point Dennis Richardson Republican 5 Ashland Alan Bates Democratic 6 Medford Rob Patridge Republican 7 Roseburg Jeff Kruse Republican 8 Eugene Floyd ProzanskiResigned upon appointment to the Senate. Democratic Paul Holvey 9 Coos Bay Joanne Verger Democratic 10 Newport Alan Brown Republican 11 Eugene Phil Barnhart Democratic 12 Springfield Terry Beyer Democratic 13 Eugene Robert Ackerman Democratic 14 Pat Farr Republican 15 Albany Betsy Close Republican 16 Corvallis Kelley Wirth Democratic 17 Sublimity Jeff Kropf Republican 18 Mulino Tootie Smith Republican 19 Salem Dan Doyle Republican 20 Vicki Berger Republican 21 Billy Dalto Republican 22 Woodburn Cliff Zauner Republican 23 Dallas Lane ShetterlyResigned Republican Jim Thompson 24 McMinnville Donna G. Nelson Republican 25 Keizer Vic Backlund Republican 26 Wilsonville Jerry Krummel Republican 27 Beaverton Mark Hass Democratic 28 Aloha Jeff Barker Democratic 29 Cornelius Mary Gallegos Republican 30 Derrick Kitts Republican 31 Scappoose Betsy Johnson Democratic32 Tillamook Elaine Hopson Democratic Cannon Beach Deborah Boone 33 Portland Mitch Greenlick Democratic 34 Beaverton Brad Avakian Democratic 35 Tigard Max Williams Republican 36 Portland Mary Nolan Democratic 37 Lake Oswego Randy Miller Republican 38 Greg Macpherson Democratic 39 Canby Wayne Scott Republican 40 Milwaukie Dave Hunt Democratic 41 Carolyn Tomei Democratic 42 Portland Diane Rosenbaum Democratic 43 Deborah Kafoury Democratic 44 Gary Hansen Democratic 45 Jackie Dingfelder Democratic 46 Steve March Democratic 47 Jeff Merkley Democratic 48 Happy Valley Mike Schaufler Democratic 49 Fairview Karen Minnis Republican 50 Gresham Laurie Monnes Anderson Democratic 51 Clackamas Linda Flores Republican 52 Corbett Patti Smith Republican 53 Bend Ben Westlund Republican 54 Tim Knopp Republican 55 Medford George Gilman Republican 56 Klamath Falls Bill Garrard Republican 57 Heppner Greg Smith Republican 58 Pendleton Bob Jenson Republican 59 The Dalles John Mabrey Republican John Dallum 60 Ontario R. Tom Butler Republican
References
External links Official overview of bills considered and passed in 2003 regular session