TAKE ACTION TODAY: Public Hearing Scheduled for February 4th!
A public hearing has been scheduled for House Bill 4134 in the House Committee on Revenue on Wednesday, February 4th, at 3pm.
We urge you to submit comments to the House Committee on Revenue in strong support of HB 4134, the 1.25% for Wildlife bill. This modest, dedicated investment will provide stable, long-term funding for fish and wildlife conservation across Oregon, supporting habitat restoration, species recovery, and outdoor recreation opportunities that benefit all Oregonians. HB 4134 represents a smart, balanced approach to protecting our natural resources while ensuring they are sustainably managed for future generations. Please make your voice heard by encouraging the Committee to advance HB 4134.
The written testimony record will only remain open for 48 hours after the committee meeting.
Please submit written testimony before the hearing if possible, and no later than Friday, February 6th, at 3pm.
We've prepared the following message for your convenience - if you choose to use it, remember to customize it for maximum impact!
Copy the message below, then click the "Take Action" link below to reach the committee's website and follow their instructions to submit testimony.
I am writing to urge you to support HB 4134, the “1.25% for Wildlife” bill, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure stable funding for Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and habitats while strengthening our outdoor recreation and tourism economy.
HB 4134 represents one of the most significant conservation investments Oregon has made in decades. By increasing the statewide transient lodging tax by 1.25 percentage points, the bill would responsibly fund programs that protect our natural legacy while largely drawing revenue from visitors—approximately 65% of the tax is paid by out-of-state travelers, not Oregon residents.
Specifically, HB 4134 would provide stable funding for:
- Oregon’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), the state’s blueprint for conserving and restoring more than 300 vulnerable species and their habitats
- The Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund, expanding access to outdoor recreation and community-based conservation projects statewide
- ODFW’s Wildlife Connectivity Program, improving wildlife passage and addressing habitat fragmentation
- Anti-poaching enforcement, strengthening Department of Justice and State Police capacity to combat illegal wildlife crimes
- The Wolf Depredation Compensation and Financial Assistance Grant Program, helping reduce conflict and support coexistence
- Invasive species detection and response, addressing long-standing gaps that threaten native ecosystems
- The Wildlife Stewardship Program, including support for wildlife rehabilitation facilities
- The Oregon Conservation Corps, investing in wildfire risk reduction, community resilience, and natural resources workforce development
Oregonians support HB 4134 because it:
- Invests directly in Oregon’s natural legacy that supports livelihoods, recreation, and quality of life
- Closes a long-standing funding gap with broad, bipartisan support from diverse stakeholders across the state
- Strengthens wildfire preparedness while building Oregon’s conservation workforce
- Reinvests in outdoor recreation, an $8 billion industry that accounts for 2.6% of Oregon’s GDP
- Does not raise the cost of living for most Oregonians and does not change Oregon’s ranking as having the third-lowest state lodging tax in the nation (from 1.5% to 2.75%)
HB 4134 would create durable, resilient funding for programs that protect the fish, wildlife, and habitats that make Oregon special—now and for future generations.
I respectfully ask for your support of HB 4134 and thank you for your leadership on behalf of Oregon’s natural resources and communities.
Oregon has a rare opportunity to secure the most significant conservation investment our state has seen in decades—and we need your voice to help make it happen.
HB 4134, the “1.25% for Wildlife” bill, would create stable, long-term funding to protect Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and habitats by increasing the statewide transient lodging tax by 1.25 percentage points. Importantly, 65% of the tax is paid by out-of-state visitors, not Oregonians.
This is a smart, durable investment in the lands, waters, and wildlife that define our state and fuel our outdoor traditions.