BOISE, Idaho — Oregon Senator Tim Knopp and another ten Oregon Republican senators have been in hiding for two days in protest of a cap and trade bill that Oregon Democrats are trying to get passed this session.
Sen. Knopp spoke to KTVB on Friday, saying that he couldn't give away his exact location as Oregon Gov. Kate Brown told Oregon State Police to gather the missing senators and bring them to Salem so they could move forward with the congressional session.
Knopp says that he and other Republican senators are prepared to stay out of their home state as long as the cap and trade bill is involved.
On Friday morning, the Oregon Senate convened with only Democrats present a day after Republicans began going into hiding.
They say that the cap and trade bill will hurt Oregon businesses if it passes.
For now, it's a waiting game as Oregon State Police are still under orders to find Republican senators and bring them back to the Statehouse. So far, no senators have been arrested or taken back to Salem.
It is still unclear where the senators are but Sen. Knopp says they will continue to try and work things out remotely.
"Well, I can tell you I am certainly prepared to go to June 30th and the Governor says she will call us back in special session and I think whether we show up for that special session will depend on what is going to be discussed at that session," Sen. Knopp said. "So, I am hopeful that we will be able to get this resolved, but there is going to be a lot of discussions that need to take place between now and then."
KTVB reached out to Idaho State Police to see if the Oregon State Police has contacted them in regards to the search for the missing senators who might be in Idaho.
They said, "Idaho State Police is not involved in the search for Oregon lawmakers, as these individuals are not suspected of breaking any Idaho laws."
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The cap and trade bill would set a cap or limit on greenhouse gases and emissions per year. Companies would then have to buy permits for every metric ton of emissions that they release.
If they go over the set limits, then they would have to pay a fine. Or, they could trade permits with each other.
Cap and trade is one method of tackling climate change by pushing people and companies to abandon fossil fuels because of the cost of polluting.
WATCH BELOW: Oregon Senator Tim Knopp Discusses Oregon's Cap and Trade Bill and Hiding Out from State Police