Defenders and Partners Urge Oregon State Action on Wildlife Conservation Bill as Two Senators Block Bipartisan Effort

A landmark bill to fund wildlife conservation in Oregon is being held up in the State Senate, despite passing the House with strong bipartisan support and clearing Senate Rules. HB 2977, backed by a broad and diverse coalition across Oregon, is now stalled due to obstruction by two Republican senators, Daniel Bonham and Cedric Hayden, who are using procedural tactics to try to kill the bill.

“This bill has support from every corner of the state,” said Amy Patrick of the Oregon Hunters Association. “It’s a smart, fair solution to address a wildlife funding crisis, and it’s been shaped by everyone from hunters and anglers to birders and business owners. The House did its job. The Senate Rules Committee did its job. I urge the two senators attempting now to derail it to respect the extensive work done by stakeholders and legislators alike, and allow the bill to move forward.”

The so-called “minority report” being wielded to delay the bill has already been written and is available to view, but Senators Bonham and Hayden refuse to officially submit it.

According to the rules of the Oregon Legislature, Senate President Rob Wagner has the ability to put HB 2977 for a vote on the floor.

“Senate President Rob Wagner has the power to put HB 2977 on the floor today — and Oregonians from across the state are calling on him to do so,” said Danielle Moser of Oregon Wild. “This is not a party-line issue. Our wildlife, the habitats they depend on, and the democratic process deserve better.”

Over 70% of the submitted testimony available on the Oregon Legislative Information System is in support of the bill.

“The passage of HB 2977 would be one of Oregon’s most significant environmental achievements in decades,” said Colin Reynolds, senior advisor to the Northwest program at Defenders of Wildlife. “This bill would deliver long-awaited and necessary sustainable funding for Oregon’s essential wildlife conservation programs that support our iconic species like the marbled murrelet, Southern Resident orca and fisher. On behalf of Defenders of Wildlife’s over 40,000 members and supporters in Oregon, I call on the Oregon legislature to pass this bipartisan bill before the end of the legislative session.”

“Oregon’s fish and wildlife is big business in Oregon, and this incredible resource is in jeopardy of blinking out,” said Bob Rees of the Northwest Guides and Anglers Association. “The Oregon Legislature is on the precipice of passing its first meaningful funding to turn the tide of these imperiled species through a bipartisan wildlife funding bill. If this bill doesn’t pass, those imperiled species will continue down the path to extinction and, along with it, our community of outdoor enthusiasts that represents one of the greatest transfers of wealth from urban to rural communities in Oregon. We’ll hold those obstructing the passage of this bill personally responsible for its demise, the first real opportunity to recover Oregon’s troubled fish and wildlife species.”

“Rarely has a bill brought a more diverse stakeholder coalition together like HB 2977 has, and with strong bipartisan support in both chambers of the legislature, the bill was set for success,” said Dr. Sristi Kamal, Deputy Director of the Western Environmental Law Center. “But now it is being held hostage by gimmicky tactics such as a minority report by a few Senate Republicans who want to kill HB 2977. They have no interest in unifying rural and urban Oregon and instead thrive by dividing us. We urge the Senate Democratic Party to save HB 2977, and honor the democratic process that got the bill this far.”

Stakeholders are particularly frustrated that genuine compromise and broad consensus are being undermined by obstruction.

“HB 2977 is the result of ranchers, guides, hoteliers, birders, business owners, and sportsmen all pulling in the same direction,” said Tristan Henry, Oregon Field Representative for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “The Senate has an opportunity now to finish what this broad coalition started and deliver a lasting wildlife-funding solution for Oregon. We urge President Rob Wagner and Senate leadership to use every tool available to move HB 2977 forward and pass it into law.”

HB 2977 would increase Oregon’s statewide transient lodging tax — currently one of the lowest in the nation — to provide long-overdue funding for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The agency has identified nearly 300 species in decline, yet lacks the resources to protect and recover them.

A recent economic analysis found that the bill would not deter tourism and could actually boost outdoor recreation spending in Oregon by improving visitor experiences and protecting iconic species and landscapes.

Supporters say the bill is a win-win: funding from tourists to protect the wildlife and landscapes they come to see, and economic benefits for rural communities that rely on outdoor recreation.

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