In a monumental achievement, HB 3086, which restructures the ODFW Commission's selection map, has been passed with unanimous support in the House and near unanimity in the Senate. The hard work throughout the session to keep this bill alive has paid off, and we consider this a significant milestone for all who supported the bill.
Previously, the Commission was aligned with congressional districts, supplemented by two at-large positions, one each from the east and west sides. The new statute now grounds all positions in the river basin regions, with two commissioners from the Northwest and West Central Regions, and one from each of the Southwest, North Central, and Eastern Regions. This shift enhances representation for the state's eastern portion and reduces the previously disproportionate concentration of commissioners in the Portland area.
Critical to the bill's passage was the incredible support from our members and partners. Over the course of the session, two public hearings saw more than 1,000 written testimonies supporting the bill from sportsmen and women around the state. Furthermore, multiple action alerts from our partners and Oregon BHA prompted over 3,000 interactions and nearly 51,000 individual emails to legislators.
Oregon BHA's collaboration with other sportsmen’s organizations was instrumental in assembling a united front of stakeholders. Notably, the bill's passage was significantly buoyed by the endorsement of six federally recognized Tribes. This triumph underscores the power of our collective voices in advocating for fair and effective wildlife management.
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