Kotek Comes Out Against IP28 (VIDEO)
The Oregon governor’s opposition adds a major twist to a proposed animal cruelty measure that has divided hunters, farmers, ranchers, animal-rights advocates and political leaders across the state.
SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has publicly come out against Initiative Petition 28, a proposed animal cruelty measure that has drawn sharp debate across the state over hunting, fishing, ranching, farming and animal welfare.
The statement, posted May 30 to Kotek’s campaign Facebook page, adds a notable twist to a proposal that has already become one of Oregon’s most heated potential 2026 ballot fights.
Kotek’s statement was direct. “I oppose it,” Kotek said in the video.
IP28, formally titled the People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions Act, is backed by animal-rights advocates who argue Oregon’s animal cruelty laws should extend more broadly to animals on farms, in research labs and in the wild.
Supporters say the proposal would close exemptions that currently allow animals to be injured or killed for activities such as slaughter, hunting, fishing and experimentation. The Yes on IP28 campaign says the measure would extend protections currently applied to companion animals to other animals covered by Oregon law.
Critics say the measure goes much further than a typical animal welfare proposal. Opponents argue IP28 would effectively criminalize hunting, fishing, trapping, livestock slaughter, common animal husbandry practices, animal breeding, some research, wildlife management and pest control.
That divide has placed the measure at the center of a broader Oregon debate over animal welfare, food production, rural economies, outdoor traditions, wildlife management and the role of criminal law in regulating long-standing practices.
According to the Oregon Secretary of State’s May 29 initiative petition submission log, IP28 supporters had submitted 126,115 signatures. The required number for the statutory measure is 117,173. Those signatures still must be verified before the measure can officially qualify for the November 2026 ballot.
She said criminalizing activities such as hunting and fishing “would be wrong for Oregon,” and said the proposal risks criminalizing agricultural practices that are important to the state’s economy.
Kotek also referenced tribal leaders, family farmers and ranchers, and Oregonians who care about protecting land, water and wildlife. She said the petition does not help those interests.
The governor’s opposition is politically significant because criticism of IP28 has come heavily from agricultural groups, hunting and fishing organizations, rural advocates and Republican leaders. Kotek, a Democrat, is now publicly aligned against the measure as well, complicating attempts to frame the issue strictly along party lines.
In her video, Kotek said Oregon can have a serious conversation about conservation and animal welfare without targeting people who feed communities or responsibly use the outdoors.
Her closing message was blunt: “Say no to IP 28.”
If certified for the ballot, IP28 could become a major statewide issue heading into the 2026 election, especially in rural Oregon and communities tied to agriculture, outdoor recreation, fishing, ranching and wildlife management.
For now, the measure remains in the signature-verification stage. But Kotek’s opposition signals that, if IP28 reaches the ballot, the debate may not fall into Oregon’s usual political lanes.
Video statement
Hi Oregon, Governor Kotek here. After hearing from concerned Oregonians, I want to take a moment to be very clear about where I stand on IP28. I oppose it.
Criminalizing activities like hunting and fishing would be wrong for Oregon. I know tribal leaders, family farmers & ranchers, and Oregonians across the state who care deeply about protecting our land, waters, and wildlife.
This petition does nothing to help them, and it risks criminalizing common agricultural practices that are critical to Oregon's economy.
I believe that we can have an honest conversation about responsible conservation and animal welfare without attacking the people who feed our communities or enjoy Oregon's outdoors responsibly.
My focus continues to be on making Oregon a state where everyone can thrive. Say no to IP 28.
Editor’s note: HiveWire Daily does not endorse candidates, campaigns, ballot measures or political positions. This story is reported from a public video posted to Gov. Tina Kotek’s campaign Facebook page because it represents a public statement by Oregon’s governor on a statewide ballot issue.
Cover image: Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek speaks in a video posted to her campaign Facebook page opposing Initiative Petition 28, a proposed animal cruelty measure that has drawn debate over hunting, fishing, agriculture and animal welfare. Image from Tina Kotek for Oregon video.
