UPDATED Monday, May 8, 11:45 a.m. – Developing

The Oregon Senate failed on Monday to have enough senators on the floor to create a quorum to do any business. It was the sixth straight day that the minimum number of 20 was not present.

Republicans have kept no more than two members on the floor during each session. Combined with 16 Democratic senators, the total of 18 lawmakers leaves the Senate two short of the Oregon constitution’s requirement of a two-thirds majority — 20 in the Senate.

Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, called another session for Tuesday morning.

Republicans have organized the walkout to stop consideration of HB 2002, an abortion access and transgender rights bill approved by the House.

Minority Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, was not on the Senate floor on Monday. He said at the beginning of the 2023 session that Republicans were opposed to Democrats’ plans on abortion, gun control and rent control.

Republicans recently added claims that the reading level of legislative analysis of the bills produced for lawmakers was above the approximately 8th-grade reading level required by a 1979 law. A Marion District Court judge last week declined to hear a petition by Sen. Suzanne Weber, R-Tillamook backed by a House Republican lawmaker and the advocacy group Oregon Right To Life arguing that the Senate should not consider HB 2002 until court challenges on the reading level issues were heard.

Under a new law approved by voters in November 2022, lawmakers who have 10 or more unexcused absences are barred from running for re-election. No senator has hit the threshold, but several have five absences.

One senator from each party is on a long-term excused absence due to medical issues: Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Troutdale, and Sen. Fred Girod, R-Stayton.

Last week, some senators had excused absences, including Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena, who was in Boardman with Gov. Tina Kotek visiting areas where nitrate levels in the water have made residents ill.

Excused absences are at the discretion of the presiding officers of each chamber — Wagner in the Senate and Speaker Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, in the House. Wagner said he would no longer approve excused absences barring a major personal or medical issue until the Senate reaches a quorum.

This story will be updated.