A sweeping Oregon animal-rights initiative that would have removed legal exemptions covering hunting, fishing, livestock slaughter and numerous animal-handling practices will not appear on the November 3, 2026, ballot.
The Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division completed its verification of Initiative Petition 28 and found 104,262 valid signatures—12,911 fewer than the 117,173 required. The state accepted 142,347 signatures for verification, producing a validity rate of 73.25%.
That final determination changes the status presented in earlier social-media posts. IP 28 was not simply “moving toward voters”; as of July 24, 2026, it had failed to qualify for the election.
What IP 28 would have changed
Formally called the People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions Act, or PEACE Act, IP 28 proposed major amendments to Chapter 167 of the Oregon Revised Statutes.
The measure would have removed exemptions that currently protect activities including hunting, fishing, trapping, livestock slaughter, animal husbandry, breeding practices, wildlife management, rodeos, scientific or agricultural research and the control of nuisance animals from prosecution under specified animal-cruelty laws.
The official ballot title stated that the initiative would criminalize breeding practices and the injury or killing of animals, including for food, hunting and fishing, while creating a transition fund and allowing limited exceptions.
Those exceptions would have covered necessary self-defense against an immediate threat and accepted veterinary practices. The proposal also included reduced crime classifications for some animal offenses, mandatory community service, animal-possession restrictions following convictions and a transition fund intended to support affected workers and industries.
Supporters said the proposal would extend protections associated with companion animals to vertebrate animals living on farms, in laboratories and in the wild. The campaign openly stated that its goal was to protect animals from slaughter, hunting, fishing and experimentation, making the potential consequences broader than a routine reform of cruelty penalties.
Why the measure sparked intense debate
Opposition came from hunting, fishing, agricultural and veterinary organizations, as well as elected officials from both major parties. Critics warned that removing the exemptions would expose farmers, ranchers, anglers, hunters, researchers and wildlife managers to criminal prosecution for activities that are currently lawful and regulated.
The measure’s effect on hunting and fishing was not merely a slogan invented by opponents. Its official ballot title referenced hunting and fishing directly, while campaign organizers described preventing those activities as part of the initiative’s intended protection for animals.
At the same time, the initiative included provisions intended to soften the transition. A proposed Humane Transition Fund would have supported food assistance, income replacement, job retraining, animal care, conservation and rewilding efforts. A Transitional Oversight Council would have included representatives from state agencies, Tribal governments, agriculture, veterinary medicine and animal advocacy.
The signature campaign came closer than earlier attempts
IP 28 marked the third effort by its organizers to advance this general proposal. The campaign submitted more than 142,000 signatures in 2026, far more than during its earlier attempts, but raw signature totals do not guarantee ballot access.
Oregon requires signatures to be linked to valid registered voters and meet election-law requirements. After the state’s statistical verification process, fewer than three-quarters of the accepted signatures were projected as valid. That left the campaign below the statutory threshold and ended its path to the 2026 ballot.
The outcome means Oregon’s existing animal-cruelty exemptions remain unchanged by IP 28, and voters will not decide the proposal this November. Campaign organizers have indicated that the broader effort to change legal protections for animals may continue in a future election cycle.
Sources
- Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division: IP 2026-028 signature-verification results
- Oregon Secretary of State: Full text of Initiative Petition 28
- Oregon Secretary of State: IP 28 explanatory-statement process update
- Oregon Public Broadcasting: IP 28 fails to make November ballot
- Yes on IP 28 campaign: Initiative description and campaign position
