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The year was 1994. The iPhone and iPad were more than a decade away from being invented. Electric cars were still a futuristic concept and the median price of a home in Portland was about $130,000.

It was also the year a former Texan named Floyd Prozanski ran and won election to the Oregon House of Representatives.

Almost a third of a century later, the State Capitol is still in his orbit. Occasional thoughts of stepping aside are always outweighed by the gravitational pull that keeps Oregon’s “iron man” lawmaker crafting public policy.

Prozanski moved to the Senate in 2003 and has been a mainstay of the Senate Judiciary Committee ever since. He has witnessed firsthand the evolution of the legislative process.

“When I came into the Legislature I had an IBM typewriter and three land lines,” Prozanski chuckled. He also had a cubby hole of an office, a situation that still perplexes him to this day.

“When Peter Courtney pushed to have the Senate and House wings remodeled, I never could understand why he didn’t make them the same size,” Prozanski said.

It was in those formative years as a state representative that shaped his path forward.

He remembers fondly the mentorship he received from those on both side of the aisle.

“Peter, Del Parks, Kate (Brown) and Lisa (Naito) really took me under their wing. Their mentorship really meant a lot to me” he said. “I think I got more bills passed my first session than any other freshman ‘D’.

“Neil Bryant was also a great mentor. He emphasized from the outset that in judiciary, you check your partisanship at the door.”

Reflecting on those earlier days, the senator from Eugene has noticed not all change has been positive. In particular, he recalls a greater sense of collegiality, one he believes was stifled at least in part by an overreaching ethics bill that was pushed by Kate Brown and Jeff Merkley in 2007 as both were contemplating a run for higher office.

“Things were more congenial in the day,” Prozanski said. “The lack of engagement makes a difference: Kate and Jeff were anxious to pass the ethics bill. I told them the $50 limit was too low, but they went ahead anyway. Thats one reason I started the Oregon Craft Brewers Caucus to give people the chance to get together and interact more. David Brock Smith is having dinners now too. I think it makes a difference when you get to know each other and understand their perspectives.”

When it comes to the day-to-day work of the legislature, Prozanski has also noticed a change.

“I see leadership taking more of a centralized approach to the process — not allowing as much latitude. More micromanaging of committees at times, especially toward the end of session,” he said.

He also notes that reducing committee hearings from two hours to 90 minutes has had a negative effect on the ability for proper vetting of critical issues. That is one reason he respects and values the role of advocates.

“I cherish constituents who take time out of their day to be a part of the process,” he said.

“I also really respect our lobby. They help with the process. They provide more information for legislators to weigh in making decisions.”

Prozanski has seen his share of good ideas, and remarkably poor ones, during his tenure. A lot of legislation that is passed is often to clean up earlier mistakes. Floyd keeps shoveling, working to balance the needs of multiple stakeholders and produce sound public policy.

Through it all, he gives high marks to his staff who he says are critical in giving legislators the ability to have what is needed to do the job as effectively as possible.

The IBM typewriter is long gone. So too, are all of those who served with him when he first entered the rotunda of the Capitol. But he still relies on their advice which lives on in his memory.

Wisdom: aged and refined by the seasons, imprinting the decisions yet to come.