HB 4134, the 1.25% for Wildlife Bill, Makes Oregon a Nationwide Leader
| Contact: Danielle Moser, Oregon Wild |
Salem, Ore., – Governor Kotek signed HB 4134, the 1.25% for Wildlife bill, the culmination of over a decade of advocacy to secure dedicated funding for wildlife and their habitats. Conservationists lauded the new law as a historic accomplishment, demonstrating a model for other states that have struggled to fund their wildlife conservation programs.
“This is a visionary policy not just for Oregon, but for wildlife conservation nationwide. At a time when many states are struggling to fund basic protections, Oregon has stepped up with a solution, and shown other states a way forward,” said Danielle Moser, Wildlife Program Manager for Oregon Wild.
Through a modest increase in the statewide lodging tax, HB 4134 funds wildlife and habitat conservation, primarily the implementation of the state’s Wildlife Action Plan. In 2025, the state identified over 300 species of greatest conservation need. A 2023 NatureServe report ranked Oregon fifth in the nation for the percentage of at-risk animals, with more than half of amphibians, one in five reptiles, and roughly one in ten bird species already in decline.
At the same time, the Trump administration has pursued changes to Endangered Species Act protections that make it more difficult to recover species and safeguard critical habitat. Coupled with budget cuts and staff reductions at the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the responsibility for wildlife conservation has fallen to the states.
In her signing statement, Governor Tina Kotek noted that Oregon’s natural lands and wildlife are foundational to the state’s identity and economy. “Oregon’s long-term prosperity depends on the health of our fish and wildlife populations and the natural environment that underpins our tourism economy. By directing stable funding, this bill helps ensure that Oregon has resilient natural resources capable of supporting strong communities and a vibrant economy for generations to come.”
A broad coalition of conservation, hunting, fishing, forestry, farming, ranching, and business stakeholders supported HB 4134. During its consideration in the Oregon legislature, the public was overwhelmingly in favor of the bill, with over 84% of submitted testimony supporting it.
“This investment is about the Oregon we want to leave to future generations,” continued Moser, “An Oregon where healthy wildlife populations and thriving ecosystems continue to support our values, communities, and way of life.”
Species included as having the greatest conservation need are sea otters, Sierra Nevada red foxes, American pikas, silver-eared bats, North American porcupines, pygmy rabbits, western painted turtles, tufted puffins, great grey owl, desert horned lizard, Pacific lamprey, western bumblebee, and monarch butterfly.
Also included in the proposal is support for fighting poaching, promoting habitat connectivity, combating invasive species, funding wildlife coexistence, wildfire risk reduction, and conservation workforce programs.
Photo by Cody Clark
