ODFW Commission Reform Legislation – Make your voice heard!
HB 3086, the bill to reform the representation structure for the ODFW Commission, is scheduled for its second public hearing on Tuesday, May 23.
OHA members, as well as others in the sportsmen’s community, have continually weighed in with testimonies and letters to legislators. I appreciate how engaged our membership is and I’m asking for members to once again make their voices heard on this bill.
There are two ways to engage:
1.) Submit Written Testimony
Copy the text below (remember to sign your name) and use the link to submit it into public record using the ‘text testimony’ option. Testimony can be submitted until Thursday, May 25, at 3pm.
House Committee on Rules
Re: HB 3086
Chair Fahey, Vice-Chairs Kropf and Breese-Iverson, Members of the Committee,
As a member of the sportsmen and conservation community, I support HB 3086 with the -7 amendment. A more regionally diverse representation on the ODFW Commission better aligns with the management needs of fisheries, wildlife, and habitat in the state.
The -7 amendment provides a reasonable option for allowing the two at-large positions to be selected statewide. It also ensures no single river basin has disproportional representation by stipulating that these positions cannot be from the same basin. This approach offers more Oregonians the opportunity to serve on the Commission and maintains the diversity of applicants.
I strongly urge your support for HB 3086-7.
Thank you,
{sign you name w/city, state}
Use this LINK to submit testimony.
2.) Email House Rules Committee Members:
Howl for Wildlife has created an incredibly effective way to email all committee members with one click. Follow the link below to the Action Alert to sent emails directly to the committee members who will vote on HB 3086.
Howl for Wildlife Action Alert LINK
Legislative Update – May
OHA bills still in play late in the session:
HB 3086, the river basin model for ODFW Commission structure, is currently in the House Rules Committee awaiting a public hearing and work session. This bill has become controversial with a sector of more extreme environmental and animal-welfare organizations opposing the river basin model despite the overwhelming support from the rest of the stakeholders organizations, including 5 Tribes.
HB 2532 is our bill seeking funding for in-state testing and expanded research on Chronic Wasting Disease and is awaiting a hearing in the Natural Resources subcommittee of Ways & Means.
HJR 5, the referral to the 2024 ballot seeking a constitutional protection for the right to fish, hunt, harvest, and gather, is awaiting its work session in the House Rules Committee.
Gun Bills:
HB 2005 has now absorbed the provision put forth by it’s companion bills, HB 2006 and HB 2007. All three bills were introduces as the Governor’s priority bills. The combination bill seeks to outlaw homemade firearms, increase the age to own or posses firearms to 21, and restrict concealed carry abilities. This bill is currently in stasis on the Senate Floor since the Senate Republicans have not been present for a quorum.
SB 348 seeks to implement the components of Measure 114 with several additions such as the increased age restriction to 21 to apply for a permit-to-purchase, the retroactive implementation of the ‘large capacity’ magazine ban, and increases in both fees and processing time.
Perhaps the most egregious component of SB 348 is contained in the most recent amendment and states that any legal challenge to the bill, including its constitutionally, can only be filed in the Circuit Court of Marion County.
IP3 News
After being relatively dormant for the last 5 months, IP3 has begun ramping up their efforts to get on the 2024 ballot. They received a $50,000 donation last week and are now actively hiring paid signature gatherers. Additionally, they are following our efforts with HJR 5, going so far as to post OHA Policy Director Amy Patrick’s legislative testimony to their social media pages.
This influx of funding and the ability to hire paid signature gatherers, not to mention their clear annoyance at our attempt to protect fishing and hunting, are indicators that Oregonians can no longer view this effort as an outlier. They have over 17 months to gather the signatures needed (112,020) to gain the ballot – the threat is real.
OHA members are asked to help spread the word about this extreme initiative. OHA State can provide IP3 information cards for chapter use at events, shows, and other public engagement opportunities.
IP3 information and updates are located HERE
Sign up for OHA updates and alerts at:
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