Democrats propose changes to election laws — Democratic legislators are considering a plan to go around traditional election laws so they can handcraft ballot language for two proposed amendments to the Oregon Constitution. The first proposed 2018 constitutional amendment would declare access to affordable health care a right in Oregon. The second would allow cities to issue bonds to finance affordable-housing projects. Under Oregon law, the attorney general is supposed to write neutral ballot language for proposed constitutional amendments. Under Democrats’ new plan, they would be allowed to form a legislative committee of four Democrats and two Republicans to write the ballot materials, according to draft language. That committee’s language could still be appealed by any voter to the Oregon Supreme Court, which could order rewrites.

Driver crashes into back of deputy’s car — A driver crashed into the back of a Washington County Sheriff’s patrol vehicle while the deputy was responding to a separate snow-related crash south of Hillsboro. There were no reports of serious injuries from the collisions. Emergency crews were initially called out just after 9 a.m. Sunday on reports of a crash at an intersection. Officials said a driver went off the snow-covered road and into a ditch. As deputies, firefighters and paramedics were responding to that crash, a second driver slid on the slick road and crashed into the back of a sheriff’s office vehicles. The driver said he tried to stop, but he couldn’t due to the snow.