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SB349 • 2025

Allows the electors of a county to approve a measure allowing the use of dogs for hunting, pursuing or taking cougars within the county.

Allows the electors of a county to approve a measure allowing the use of dogs for hunting, pursuing or taking cougars within the county.

Elections
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Senator Smith DB
Last action
2025-06-27
Official status
In Senate Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Allows the electors of a county to approve a measure allowing the use of dogs for hunting, pursuing or taking cougars within the county.

Digest: The Act provides that county voters can adopt a measure that allows the use of dogs to hunt cougars in the county.

What This Bill Does

  • Digest: The Act provides that county voters can adopt a measure that allows the use of dogs to hunt cougars in the county.
  • The Act allows an agency to issue special cougar tags to implement the measure.
  • (Flesch Readability Score: 64.0).
  • Allows the electors of a county to approve a measure allowing the use of dogs for hunting, pursuing or taking cougars within the county.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-06-27 Senate

    In committee upon adjournment.

  2. 2025-01-17 Senate

    Referred to Natural Resources and Wildfire.

  3. 2025-01-13 Senate

    Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.

Official Summary Text

Digest: The Act provides that county voters can adopt a measure that allows the use of dogs to hunt cougars in the county. The Act allows an agency to issue special cougar tags to implement the measure. (Flesch Readability Score: 64.0).
Allows the electors of a county to approve a measure allowing the use of dogs for hunting, pursuing or taking cougars within the county. Authorizes the State Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue to a resident of the county a special cougar tag that allows the use of dogs for hunting, pursuing or taking cougars within the county.
Relating to: Relating to cougars.
Current location: In Senate Committee

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Senate Bill 349
Sponsored by Senator SMITH DB (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act provides that county voters can adopt a measure that allows the use of dogs
to hunt cougars in the county. The Act allows an agency to issue special cougar tags to implement
the measure. (Flesch Readability Score: 64.0).
Allows the electors of a county to approve a measure allowing the use of dogs for hunting,
pursuing or taking cougars within the county. Authorizes the State Department of Fish and Wildlife
to issue to a resident of the county a special cougar tag that allows the use of dogs for hunting,
pursuing or taking cougars within the county.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to cougars; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 498.164.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
Section 2 of this 2025 Act is added to and made a part of ORS chapter 497.
SECTION 2. (1) The electors of a county may, at any countywide election, approve a
measure to allow the use of one or more dogs to hunt, pursue or take cougars.
(2) If the electors of a county approve a measure described in subsection (1) of this sec-
tion, the State Department of Fish and Wildlife may issue to a person residing within the
county a special cougar tag that allows the person to use one or more dogs for the purpose
of hunting, pursuing or taking cougars within the county.
SECTION 3. ORS 498.164 is amended to read:
498.164. (1) Except as provided in [ subsections (2) and (3) ] subsection (2) of this section, a per-
son may not use bait to attract or take black bears or use one or more dogs to hunt or pursue black
bears or cougars.
(2) [Nothing in ] Subsection (1) of this section [ prohibits] does not apply to:
(a) The use of bait or one or more dogs by employees or agents of county, state or federal
agencies while acting in their official capacities.
[(3)] (b) [Nothing in subsection (1) of this section prohibits ] The use of bait or dogs by persons for
the taking of black bears or cougars in accordance with the provisions of ORS 498.012 relating to
taking wildlife that is causing damage.
(c) The use of dogs for the purpose of hunting, pursuing or taking cougars under a spe-
cial cougar tag issued under section 2 of this 2025 Act.
[(4)] (3) [ Any ] A person who violates subsection (1) of this section commits a Class A
misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall in addition to appropriate criminal penalties have the
person’s privilege to apply for any hunting license suspended for a period of five years for a first
offense and permanently suspended for any subsequent offense.
[(5)] (4) [ For the purposes of ] As used in this section, “bait” means any material placed for the
purpose of attracting or attempting to attract bears.
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 1420
SB 349
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