Within hours of the Oregon Senate passing a transportation bill on Sept. 29 meant to keep transportation workers employed and maintain funding for cities and counties to fix their roads, Gov. Tina Kotek directed the Oregon Department of Transportation to stop layoffs and begin hiring for the winter season.

But more than two weeks later, Kotek has yet to sign the very bill she and her party called an emergency .

Under Oregon law, Kotek has 30 business days from Oct. 1 — when the special session adjourned — to sign the bill into law. While it’s not unusual for governors to take time before signing bills into law, state political experts say the governor’s delay is a strategic move to limit the time Republicans have to challenge the measure through a referendum.

After the bill’s pas

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