The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation engaged in a number of issues during the 2025 Oregon legislative session – a period marked by a record number of bills and a chaotic process.

Among the highest profile issues were additional funding for transportation and wildfire, with transportation legislation failing in spectacular fashion and wildfire seeing a partial solution, with more work to be done.

RMEF worked with partners on key wildlife bills. Highlights are listed below.

  • Legislation passed to increase the compensation formula for the loss of livestock due to wolf depredation and the final budget bill included $1 million for the loss compensation fund.
  • The wildlife-vehicle collision program saw several important updates including a new advisory committee, updates to highway design standards to incorporate wildlife-friendly features and new training programs and reporting requirements.
  • Three gun bills received heavy debate. Ultimately, only one of the three passed. In its original form, it sought to ban possession for those under the age of 21 and included a 72-hour mandatory waiting period, however lawmakers stripped those provisions, and it ended up as a ban on rapid-fire trigger mechanisms and allowing local governments to designate some buildings as restricted for concealed handgun license carriers.
  • Lawmakers passed a budget for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife with restored funding for the anti-poaching program, Oregon State Police enforcement and Wildlife Services. All three programs were part of a $2 million reduction in the governor’s recommended budget with a priority on the restoration of these funds.
  • A bill to supply steady ongoing funding for several wildlife-related programs within the Oregon State Wildlife Action Plan by increasing the state transient lodging tax died in the Senate after narrowly passing in the House.
  • The legislature passed a bad bill that bans trapping beavers in imperiled waterways located on federal and state lands. It creates a complicated patchwork of lands where trapping is still allowed, especially in the Willamette Valley area.
  • RMEF testified several times in support of a proposal to refer a measure to voters asking them to require signatures for statewide initiatives to be gathered from all congressional districts in Oregon. Doing so would increase the voice of Oregonians not living in Portland. Unfortunately, it did not move forward.