in other words
may2
2019
Salem Report
By Representative Brad Witt
Recently I carried HB
3035, my anti-poaching
bill, on the House Floor.
This bill increases penal-
ties when poaching oc-
curs intentionally, know-
ingly or recklessly, and represents one
of the most important steps our state can
take to protect our valuable fish and wild-
life resources.
HB 3035 seeks to curb the wan-
ton slaughter of animals for trophy racks,
out-of-state money for hire, spree killing
or repeated violations by elevating some
poaching violations from misdemeanor
penalties to Class C Felony charges.
These higher penalties would be
imposed if the poaching crime occurs:
• Knowingly, intentionally or recklessly
• To sell or profit from the exchange or
sale
• If the poaching occurs repeatedly... if
the animal is the second poached and
each subsequent poaching of a game ani-
mal in a 12 month period
• Is a moose, bighorn sheep, mountain
goat, or wolf
• Is a threatened or endangered wildlife
species
HB 3035 also seeks to impose
higher penalties on fishing violations in-
cluding:
• For the 3 rd and each subsequent illegal
taking of game fish by limit in 12 months
• The illegal taking of the 2 nd and subse-
quent taking of a steelhead in 12 months
• The taking of a green or white sturgeon
The state of Washington already
classifies the crime of poaching as a felo-
ny, and Oregon’s misdemeanor penalties
are not strong enough to prevent the serial
killing of game animals. This became
evident last year when a host of interna-
tional headlines detailed the wildlife spree
killing in the Pacific Northwest. A ring
of individuals were indiscriminately kill-
ing wildlife in Oregon and Washington
and posting their “thrill-kill” videos on-
line. After they were arrested, the Wash-
ington Post described it as “A Demented
Social Club” of poachers that slaughtered
hundreds of animals in the Pacific North-
west.
HB 3035 does not target the ac-
cidental poacher, or a person that takes a
fish or game animal without a culpable
mental state. It specifically targets bad
actors who know what they are doing and
then knowingly, intentionally, and reck-
lessly slaughter our fish and wildlife.
The Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife says that in addition to the
threatened and endangered species, all
wildlife species are vulnerable to the im-
pacts of poaching. In fact, they say for
some species poaching kills more ani-
mals than the legal harvest levels set by
the department. HB 3035 is supported
by our hunting and fishing communities
who agree that true sportspersons obey
the laws and adhere to harvest quotas set
by the state to sustainably manage wild-
life resources. It is supported by the Or-
egon State Police and Justice Department
to provide more adequate enforcement
options. Conservation groups also sup-
port this legislation, because they value
our natural resources and understand the
importance of their preservation. I was
pleased when colleagues from both par-
ties stood up to speak in favor of this leg-
islation, and the bill passed overwhelm-
ingly with a 58-2 vote. It now moves to
the Senate for consideration.
As Chair of the House Com-
mittee on Natural Resources, I recently
took a few moments to acknowledge the
highly successful work completed by our
committee members during the first half
of the 80 th Oregon Legislative Assembly.
In keeping with my goal to make
Oregon a leader in natural resource con-
servation, the committee took up a vari-
ety of important issues and passed out of
committee 46 bills to protect, enhance,
and sustain our natural environment. This
legislation included:
• Boat and wildlife inspection stations to
stop the spread of invasive species and
diseases
• Willamette River Greenway wake man-
agement plan
• Ban on Chronic Wasting Disease prod-
ucts
• Comprehensive shellfish management
program
• Aggressive anti-poaching campaigns
• Wildlife corridor action plan
These seven legislative efforts,
by themselves, place Oregon at the fore-
front of natural resource management and
conservation efforts in our nation. Many
of the others will define the future of our
state’s natural resources for decades to
come.
Our committee protected fish,
wildlife, and their habitats from a host
of diseases, poaching, fragmentation,
and harassment. We also created the Or-
egon Conservation and Recreation Fund
to “protect, maintain, and enhance” our
state’s fish and wildlife. On the marine
side we enhanced stream nutrients and
fish propagation while developing a
comprehensive shellfish information, en-
forcement, and education program. We
also undertook efforts to protect our for-
ests and nursery stocks from the ravages
of the Sudden Oak Death disease.
Waterway public safety efforts
were enhanced by our committee as we
moved to: register boat liveries, make
helmets available to passengers travers-
ing challenging water classifications, re-
quiring boater education cards as a pre-
requisite to boat operations, increasing
penalties for boating under the influence,
and making some of our lakes accessible
by electric motor.
Our Committee also protected
Oregon’s waterways from invasive spe-
cies, and Willamette River shorelines
from excessive wakes. We encouraged
voluntary eastside stream restoration
weirs and endeavored to keep the public
informed about waterway access oppor-
tunities. In addition to waterway safety,
we also protected the public from: unsafe
dams, incorrectly-drilled wells, and wild-
fires in the urban-forest interface.
We also enhanced recreation op-
portunities in Oregon by:
• “Closing the gap” on the Cascade Crest
Trail by supporting a bike/pedestrian lane
on the Bridge of the Gods
• Adjusted the allocation of left-over
game mammal tags
• Extended the landowner damage pro-
gram to address elk depredation
• Supported a host of ODFW’s proposed
license and tag changes
Our committee was also respon-
sive to the needs of Oregonians around
the state who have natural resource is-
sues. As a result, we approved bills to
fund sediment studies on the Rogue Riv-
er, install stream gauges on the Klamath
River, and finally, to support the recycling
of landfill cover materials.
The public policy that our Com-
mittee managed to shape in 11 short
weeks is the definition of success. I
would match our record of accomplish-
ments against that of any other legislative
committee across our nation. I believe
we have demonstrated real leadership de-
veloping and approving this legislation.
Our work benefits current Oregonians
and preserves our natural resource legacy
for future generations.
Our success would not have
been possible without the dedication and
hard work of my colleagues who served
as committee members, my committee
administrator Kailey Kornhauser, offi-
3
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Contributors
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Jack Kauppila
Superintendent Aaron Miller
Representative Brad Witt
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cials and staff members from ODFW, the
Marine Board, Department of Forestry,
Parks and Recreation, Water Resources,
DOGAMI, Department of Agriculture,
Department of State Lands and others,
as well as members of the public who of-
fered their help, cooperation, and respect
during the process, and various lobbyists
who help craft workable legislation.
Many of these bills will now
move to the Senate for consideration, and
our House Committee will take up Natu-
ral Resource related bills that have been
approved in that chamber.
Email:
Rep.BradWitt@oregonlegislature.gov
Phone: (503) 986-1431
Address: 900 Court St NE, H-382,
Salem, OR, 97301
Website:
http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/witt
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