House committee adopts amendment and advances lodging‑tax increase to fund wildlife programs

The House Committee on Revenue adopted an amendment and advanced House Bill 2977 as amended on June 17, moving the measure to the floor with a “do pass” recommendation.

Committee staff summarized versions of the bill that would increase the state transit and lodging tax (TLT). Staff described a “dash‑2” amendment that would raise the TLT by 1.25 percentage points, with one percentage point directed to the Recovering Oregon’s Wildlife Fund and the remaining 0.25 percentage point allocated to combating poaching, invasive species and wildlife stewardship. Staff provided estimated revenue impacts tied to that amendment: $48,800,000 in the 2025‑27 biennium, $90,300,000 in 2027‑29 and $99,900,000 in 2029‑31.

During the work session, the committee adopted a separate dash‑5 amendment dated June 12, 2025, and then voted to move HB 2977 as amended to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation. Vice Chair Walters moved both the amendment and the final motion to advance the bill.

Legislators debated the tax increase. Representative Reschke opposed the amendment and said increasing the tax would worsen affordability and make the state more expensive for visitors. “Now we're gonna add a tax to the TLT and it's gonna be unaffordable to visit here,” Reschke said. Representative Pam Marsh described a coalition of interests that developed the measure and said she was persuaded by testimony connecting the health of wild places to the state's ability to attract visitors. Marsh said her family collected state lodging tax while operating a small lodging business for decades and supported the amendment for that reason.

Representative Levy said wildfire funding and wolf‑depredation compensation remain priorities and described his vote as a courtesy yes while continuing to pursue funding through Ways and Means. Several members asked procedural and attribution questions during the session; one member asked whether credit should be given to specific legislators if the tax increase becomes law.

The committee took a roll‑call vote to advance the amended bill. Recorded votes on the motion to move HB 2977 as amended were: Hudson, Aye; Levy, Courtesy yes; Marsh, Aye; Smith, Aye; Reschke, No; Walters, Aye; Nathanson, Aye. The chair announced the motion passed and named Representative Helm as the House carrier for the bill.

Staff said fiscal‑impact statements and paperwork on the amendment were available in the committee packet.