SB769 • 2025

Provides that a county is exempt from the applicability of a statute banning the use of dogs to hunt or pursue cougars if voters approve a county measure proposed by initiative petition or referred to the people by the governing body of 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 Nash,, Representative Levy B, 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.

Provides that a county is exempt from the applicability of a statute banning the use of dogs to hunt or pursue cougars if voters approve a county measure proposed by initiative petition or referred to the people by the governing body of the county.

Digest: The Act makes it lawful to use dogs to hunt cougars in a county if county voters approve.

What This Bill Does

Digest: The Act makes it lawful to use dogs to hunt cougars in a county if county voters approve.
The Act tells the county to notify an agency.
(Flesch Readability Score: 74.0).
Provides that a county is exempt from the applicability of a statute banning the use of dogs to hunt or pursue cougars if voters approve a county measure proposed by initiative petition or referred to the people by the governing body of 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

2025-06-27 Senate
In committee upon adjournment.
2025-02-11 Senate
Public Hearing held.
2025-01-17 Senate
Referred to Natural Resources and Wildfire.
2025-01-13 Senate
Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.

Official Summary Text

Digest: The Act makes it lawful to use dogs to hunt cougars in a county if county voters approve. The Act tells the county to notify an agency. (Flesch Readability Score: 74.0).
Provides that a county is exempt from the applicability of a statute banning the use of dogs to hunt or pursue cougars if voters approve a county measure proposed by initiative petition or referred to the people by the governing body of the county.
Relating to: Relating to county elections concerning methods of taking wildlife; providing for criminal sentence reduction that requires approval by a two-thirds majority.
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 769
Sponsored by Senator NASH, Representative LEVY B (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 makes it lawful to use dogs to hunt cougars in a county if county voters ap-
prove. The Act tells the county to notify an agency. (Flesch Readability Score: 74.0).
Provides that a county is exempt from the applicability of a statute banning the use of dogs to
hunt or pursue cougars if voters approve a county measure proposed by initiative petition or re-
ferred to the people by the governing body of the county.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to county elections concerning methods of taking wildlife; and providing for criminal sen-
tence reduction that requires approval by a two-thirds majority.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
(1) A county is exempt from the applicability of the provisions of ORS 498.164
related to cougars if a county measure is approved that exempts the county from the appli-
cability of the provisions of ORS 498.164 related to cougars. The measure may be proposed
by initiative petition, or referred to the people by the governing body of the county, at an
election held on a date specified in ORS 203.085 (1).
(2) A county that is exempt from the applicability of the provisions of ORS 498.164 related
to cougars pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall notify the State Department of
Fish and Wildlife.
(3) The exemption of a county under this section does not otherwise affect the authority
of the State Fish and Wildlife Commission to manage cougars in the county under the
wildlife laws.
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 1230