In February, the Oregon Legislature will be considering an important piece of legislation that would dedicate long-term funding to recover Oregon’s most vulnerable fish, wildlife, and habitats. For decades, the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife has been underfunded, without any dedicated source of funding to protect fish and wildlife, other than that which are hunted/fished.  

The "1.25% for Wildlife" bill would raise Oregon’s statewide Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) from 1.5% to 2.75% and dedicate the additional revenue to support critical wildlife and habitat recovery work across the state. Even with this increase, Oregon's Transient Lodging Tax will be among the lowest in the nation, with a majority of taxes paid coming from out-of-state visitors who benefit from Oregon not having a sales tax.

A version of this bill passed the Oregon House in 2025, but it was never brought up for a vote in the Senate. The short 2026 session is a chance to complete this unfinished business.