By LAUREN DAKE/Oregon Public Broadcasting

SALEM — Leaders in the Oregon Senate have once again delayed a vote on a transportation funding bill, amid concerns about the health of a senator who is key to its passage.

Top Democrats in the chamber announced Tuesday night that a floor session to pass the tax package will now take place sometime the week of Sept. 29 when lawmakers are already slated to be in Salem for committee hearings. The vote had been scheduled for Wednesday.

Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Gresham, suffered complications following a recent surgery, and has been hospitalized for weeks. But Democrats are relying on his presence in the Capitol to muster the 18 votes necessary to pass the tax and fee increases Gov. Tina Kotek has urged them to send to her desk.

Democrats had said repeatedly they expected Gorsek to be ready and able to appear at the Capitol on Wednesday, although Kotek sounded less than certain when speaking to reporters Monday.

“The signs are good that everyone will be able to be there on Wednesday,” she said. “Hopefully that will be the close of the special session. But, you know, life can intervene. If something comes up we’ll continue to extend until we get it done.”

The delay would marks just the latest hurdle for a special legislative session Kotek and other top Democrats hoped would be a breezy Labor Day weekend affair. Instead the session has been marred by repeated delays since it convened Aug. 29.

Early Tuesday afternoon, Kotek’s office and Senate leaders were planning to convene Wednesday. It was not clear what about Gorsek’s condition had changed to alter that plan. Neither Gorsek nor one of his staff members responded to an inquiry about his availability Monday.

“The stop-gap transportation bill before the Senate is important for all Oregonians who rely on our roads and the maintenance workers whose jobs are at risk,” Senate President Rob Wagner said in a statement Tuesday. “At the same time, we are not going to do anything that would put the health of our colleague at risk.”

Bruce Starr, the newly named Senate Republican leader, wished Gorsek a speedy recovery in a statement — but said the delay would not have been necessary if Democrats put forward a package his party could support

“Governor Kotek could have worked with Republicans from the beginning to craft a transportation package with true bipartisan support,” Starr said. “Instead, she ignored the voices of thousands of Oregonians who oppose her $4.3 billion tax hike and pushed forward a partisan plan destined to pass only on a slim, party-line margin.”

The additional delay will come at a cost to taxpayers.

Senate rules allow each of the chamber’s members to collect a $178 per diem payment for every day they are in session, regardless of whether they convene or not. That’s an additional cost of $5,340 per day.

Even House members, who technically voted to adjourn on Sept. 1, receive a per diem anytime the House gavels in. Under the state Constitution, it has to do so at least every four days until the session concludes — even if no business is conducted. That’s an additional cost of more than $10,600 each day it occurs.

Some Democrats have said they plan to donate money they receive on days they don’t work.