SALEM, Ore. (May. 26, 2026) — A proposed Oregon ballot measure that would significantly change the state’s animal cruelty laws has moved closer to appearing before voters in the November 2026 general election after supporters submitted more than 120,000 signatures to state elections officials.
Initiative Petition 28, commonly referred to as the PEACE Act — short for People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions — seeks to remove a number of exemptions currently included in Oregon’s animal abuse statutes. Supporters of the initiative submitted 120,935 signatures to the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office on May 20, exceeding the 117,173 valid signatures required to qualify for the statewide ballot. State officials are now in the process of verifying the petitions to determine whether enough signatures are valid for certification.
If approved by voters, the initiative would make substantial changes to how Oregon law addresses the treatment, injury and killing of animals. Current Oregon law generally exempts certain activities involving animals — including livestock slaughter, hunting, fishing, trapping, animal husbandry and some agricultural practices — from criminal animal cruelty statutes when conducted lawfully.
Under Initiative Petition 28, many of those exemptions would be removed. The proposal would make it unlawful to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly injure or kill many animals except under limited circumstances, including veterinary care, self-defense or defense of another person.
The initiative would also affect breeding practices involving animals. The proposal includes language that would redefine sexual assault of an animal and could impact practices such as artificial insemination that are commonly used within the livestock industry.
Supporters of the measure say the initiative is intended to create equal legal protections for animals and eliminate what they describe as inconsistencies within Oregon law.
Chief petitioner David Michelson, who has helped lead previous versions of the proposal, has said the campaign is focused on increasing public discussion surrounding animal welfare, industrial farming practices and alternatives to animal-based agriculture. Supporters have described the measure as an effort to close exemptions they believe allow unnecessary harm to animals.
The proposal is not entirely new to Oregon voters and lawmakers. Earlier versions of the initiative were introduced during previous election cycles, including Initiative Petition 13 in 2020 and Initiative Petition 3 in 2022. Those efforts failed to gather enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, but organizers continued collecting support and refiled the proposal for the 2026 election cycle.
The initiative has generated strong reactions from both supporters and opponents across the state, particularly in Oregon’s agricultural and rural communities.
Agricultural organizations, ranchers, hunters, anglers and commercial fishing groups have voiced opposition to the proposal, arguing it would have broad impacts on industries that are deeply connected to Oregon’s economy and culture.
Opponents contend the measure could affect livestock operations, dairy farms, rodeos, hunting programs, commercial fisheries and wildlife management practices throughout the state. Many critics also argue the proposal’s language is overly broad and could create uncertainty around common agricultural activities that have historically been protected under state law.
Several organizations representing farmers and hunters have launched public campaigns opposing the initiative and encouraging voters to reject it if it qualifies for the ballot. Groups opposing the measure have also argued that hunting and fishing license fees provide significant funding for wildlife conservation, habitat restoration and state fish and wildlife programs.
Republican state Rep. E. Werner Reschke, who represents portions of southern Oregon, has been among the elected officials publicly criticizing the proposal. Reschke and other opponents have argued the initiative could negatively affect rural economies and families whose livelihoods depend on agriculture, ranching and natural resource industries.
The debate surrounding Initiative Petition 28 has also expanded online and across social media platforms, where discussions about the proposal have become increasingly visible in recent months as signature gathering efforts intensified.
Supporters have framed the initiative as a long-term effort to reshape how animals are treated under Oregon law, while opponents have described it as unrealistic and incompatible with modern farming, wildlife management and food production systems.
State elections officials will now conduct a signature verification process to determine whether the initiative officially qualifies for the November 2026 ballot. If enough valid signatures are confirmed, Oregon voters will decide the fate of the measure during the general election, setting the stage for what could become one of the state’s most closely watched and debated ballot initiatives of the year.
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