You did it! The landmark 1.25% for Wildlife bill has passed out of the Oregon legislature. Now it goes to Governor Tina Kotek’s desk to be signed into law.
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The 1.25% for Wildlife bill made it to the finish line with the passage of HB 4134 in the Oregon legislature, and now needs to be signed into law by the governor.
While the initiative finally made it through the legislative process after coming close last year, we owe a great deal of thanks to everyone who took a moment to send a note to their Oregon legislators along the way, both this year and last year — THANK YOU. That legislative success is your victory for our our fish, wildlife, and special Oregon habitats.
Background on 1.25% for Wildlife
At WaterWatch, our work is focused on protecting and restoring the streamflows that power our state’s rivers and streams, which in turn provide the vital habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife, including salmon and steelhead, beavers, bears, insects, frogs, birds, and more.
But with ongoing federal assaults on our nation’s conservation pillars, likely rollbacks to the federal Endangered Species Act, the threat of renewed large-scale logging in Oregon, and fish and wildlife pushed to the brink by habitat loss, climate change, and overdevelopment, over 300 at-risk species and their habitats have been in decline in Oregon and are in danger of being pushed further toward extinction.
While Oregonians count on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to manage our state’s habitat and species, the agency has never received dedicated funds to fully implement needed recovery and conservation strategies. To fill that funding gap, a coalition of 60 organizations came together over the last year to build bipartisan support and pass the 1.25% for Wildlife bill, which was designated HB 4134 during the 2026 legislative session and passed on March 4th.
Once signed into law, this landmark wildlife and habitat conservation policy will provide a dedicated funding mechanism to be managed by ODFW to ensure preservation and recovery programs for Oregon fish, wildlife, and habitats via a small 1.25% increase to Oregon’s tourism lodging tax — which will still be one of the lowest in the nation even after the law is implemented.
But first, we need to ensure Governor Kotek signs the successful 1.25% for Wildlife bill into law.
Copy and paste the letter below into this portal page at Governor Kotek’s website, modify the letter as you see fit, and express your support for the 1.25% for Wildlife bill as it waits to be signed. Let Governor Kotek know you’re a proud Oregonian who wants this investment in Oregon’s outdoors to become law, and that you and your family want greater support for Oregon’s threatened fish, wildlife, and habitat.
Dear Governor Kotek,
As an Oregonian, it is an honor to express my enthusiasm and support for Oregon’s 1.25% for Wildlife bill, and an honor to ask that you sign this landmark legislation into law.
As you’re aware, HB 4134 will facilitate a dedicated funding mechanism for fish and wildlife conservation and recovery throughout our state. While Oregon is home to a wide array of fish, wildlife, and biodiverse habitats that support them, they are under threat from habitat destruction, climate change, overdevelopment, and other factors.
Now more than ever, it’s important we safeguard our special Oregon habitats and wildlife for future generations.
My family and I ask that you please sign HB 4134 into law at your earliest convenience.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[ your name ]
We couldn’t be more thrilled with the passage of HB 4134 at the 1.25% for Wildlife initiative, but it’s not just us that’s happy — check out our gallery of happy Oregon fish and wildlife at our WaterWatch Instagram and Facebook accounts as we celebrate this monumental win.
WaterWatch flyer designed by Monet Hampson.
