Salem, Ore., – Today, the Oregon Senate passed HB 4134, the “1.25% for Wildlife” bill. The bill had previously passed the Oregon House of Representatives with bipartisan support and now heads to Governor Tina Kotek’s desk to be signed into law.
HB 4134 was supported by a broad coalition of conservation, hunting, fishing, forestry, farming, ranching, and business stakeholders. Public testimony has been overwhelmingly in favor of the bill, with over 84% in support.
“We applaud Oregon lawmakers for their efforts and recognize that this was not an easy vote for many. But it was the right vote,” said Danielle Moser, Wildlife Program Manager for Oregon Wild. “With 1.25% for Wildlife, we are investing in our fish and wildlife, in the landscapes and communities that sustain us, in our drinking water, health, and safety. While HB 4134 is focused on wildlife and their habitats, it is really a commitment to future generations: that the Oregon we know and love today is the one we are determined to pass along to those who come next.”
Through a modest increase in the statewide lodging tax, HB 4134 will fund wildlife and habitat conservation, primarily the implementation of the state’s Wildlife Action Plan, which has identified over 300 species as having the greatest conservation need.
“This landmark legislation is a labor of over a decade, and its success positions Oregon as a national leader in addressing species and habitat decline, many of which are also critical to our tourism industry,” said Sristi Kamal, Deputy Director at Western Environmental Law Center. “From the Oregon Coast to the Wallowas and all across the state, Oregonians have come together to support this bill and what makes Oregon special – our rich natural heritage. Over 300 of our most vulnerable wildlife, from northern red-legged frogs to northwestern pond turtles and spotted bats, have a lifeline now.”
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.
