Oregon's Republican senators flee capitol to delay vote on emissions reduction plan

• Clean energy job bill would allow cap and trade of emissions
• Governor dispatches state troopers to get session back on track

Oregon is poised to becomethe second US state after California to impose a cap and trade program aimed at reducing industrial carbon emissions.

But ahead of a vote on the legislation Thursday, all 12 Republican state senators fled the capitol in a bid to delay the process. Several claimed to have left the state, beyond the reach of state troopers dispatched by the governor in order to get the legislative session back on track.