SALEM, Ore. – A new bill all about the beaver is on its way to be signed into law in the Beaver State.
House bill 3464, or the ‘Beaver Believer Bill,’ is said to give more protections to the state animal.
The bill would allow the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to manage beavers on private lands like it does other species.
ODFW will now require landowners to get permits to remove or kill a beaver under certain conditions.
State Representative Pam Marsh (D-Southern Jackson County) says this bill was a collaborative effort for officials on both sides of the political aisle.
“We worked carefully with one of my Republican colleagues Representative Mark Owens from Eastern Oregon,” Rep. Marsh said. “He was extremely helpful in helping me understand some of the amendments that we needed to make to make (the bill) more palatable for certain land owners.”
Marsh said the support received from her Republican colleague was crucial to helping the bill pass.
She says this bill holds a special place in her heart as her late husband, who passed away near the beginning of the legislative session, was a strong advocate for beavers.
Marsh said she sponsored the bill because of the policies, not her personal connection to the issue.
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