Environment (Wildlife)

introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 30, 2025

LC 1062: Generally revise Smith River permit laws

This bill revises Montana's Smith River permit laws by clarifying how user fees collected from recreational and commercial floaters are allocated and spent. It establishes a specific fund called the Smith River corridor enhancement account where designated portions of fees from commercial outfitters, permit lottery sales, and bonus points must be deposited. These funds are restricted to projects that protect the river's natural beauty, restore fisheries and wildlife habitat, stabilize streambanks, and maintain water flows for recreation and ecosystems. All other remaining funds in the account can be used for general management, operation, and maintenance of the Smith River corridor. The changes apply immediately upon the bill's passage and approval.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes dedicated funding for river protection, habitat restoration, and natural beauty preservation through user fees.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 14, 2025

LC 3165: Generally revise laws related to the unlawful use of aircraft for hunting

This bill amends Montana's wildlife laws to strengthen restrictions on using aircraft for hunting purposes. It directly affects hunters and aircraft operators by prohibiting the use of planes or drones to locate, pursue, or hunt game animals, and it bans possessing unmanned aerial vehicles while hunting. Key provisions extend the waiting period after aircraft use to 48 hours before hunting, ban communicating animal locations from the air to ground hunters, and increase fines and license forfeiture penalties for violations. The law includes exceptions for emergency situations, search and rescue operations, and authorized predator control activities.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill strengthens wildlife conservation by restricting aircraft use in hunting, protecting game populations and natural habitats from increased hunting pressure.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 17, 2025

LC 2406: Revise river usage laws related to commercial fishing, outfitting, and guiding

This bill directs Montana's Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to create specific days each summer when commercial fishing, guiding, and outfitting are prohibited on designated stretches of eight major rivers. The affected rivers include the Bitterroot, Clark Fork, Big Blackfoot, Madison, Yellowstone, and Flathead, with rules requiring at least one commercial-free day per week to include Saturday. The department must establish the exact river segments and specific free days by May 15, 2026, ensuring each zone is long enough for a typical recreational float. This measure aims to reduce overcrowding on popular Montana rivers while maintaining opportunities for commercial operators on other days.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes commercial fishing-free days on major rivers to protect aquatic ecosystems and reduce commercial pressure on fish populations.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 20, 2025

LC 2103: Establish FWP wildlife highway crossings and accommodation account

This bill creates a dedicated funding account in Montana to support the design, construction, and maintenance of wildlife highway crossings and accommodations. It authorizes the Fish and Wildlife Commission to launch a specialty license plate program that generates $20 per plate to fund these projects. The account can be used for building underpasses and overpasses, conducting studies, and reimbursing the Department of Transportation for eligible wildlife crossing projects. Money in the account earns interest and remains available for future use, ensuring ongoing support for reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions and protecting wildlife movement across the state.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates dedicated funding account for wildlife crossings through specialty license plates, increasing state funding for conservation infrastructure.85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill funds wildlife highway crossings to protect biodiversity and reduce animal-vehicle collisions, directly supporting environmental conservation.90% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill creates dedicated funding for wildlife highway crossings, directly supporting transportation infrastructure and road safety through underpasses and overpasses.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife Roads & Highways Vehicle Registration

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 14, 2025

LC 3065: Permitting reimbursements to all individuals for receipts of costs incurred related to the hunting or trapping of wolves for all lawfully harvested wolves

This bill allows licensed hunters and trappers in Montana to receive reimbursements for costs incurred when lawfully harvesting wolves. The provision creates an exception to existing rules that generally prohibit giving prizes or gifts for hunting or trapping activities. Under this change, individuals who legally harvest wolves can be compensated for their expenses related to the hunt or trap. The bill amends state law to specifically permit these reimbursements while maintaining restrictions on other types of contests or prizes for wildlife.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill provides financial incentives for wolf harvesting, which may undermine conservation efforts and weaken environmental protections for wildlife populations.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Dec 10, 2024

LC 413: Revise FWP crimestoppers program to allow financial rewards and reward permits

This bill amends Montana law to allow the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to offer financial rewards and reward permits to the public as part of its Crimestoppers program. The changes enable the department to provide monetary incentives to citizens who provide information that helps detect and prosecute crimes related to fish, wildlife, and parks. By adding these specific options, the program can more actively encourage public cooperation in reporting illegal activities without requiring new funding sources. The amendment updates the relevant statute to explicitly authorize these reward mechanisms alongside existing program functions.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances public cooperation in crime reporting through financial incentives, strengthening law enforcement capabilities in wildlife crime prosecution75% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill strengthens environmental protection by enabling public cooperation to report wildlife crimes, helping conserve natural resources and enforce conservation laws.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 9, 2025

LC 2550: Require fish, wildlife, and parks to publish a report detailing data on hunting districts

This bill requires Montana's Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to publish an annual public report containing data on hunting districts for elk, deer, and antelope. The report will include information on population numbers and management activities based on habitat estimates and population goals established in existing state law. This change directly affects hunters, landowners, and the general public by increasing transparency around wildlife management decisions. The bill amends existing state code to mandate this reporting requirement without altering other departmental powers or responsibilities.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill increases transparency in wildlife management, promoting conservation of natural resources and habitat through data reporting on elk, deer, and antelope populations.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 14, 2025

LC 1743: Creating open wolf hunting season until the population is at or below a certain number

This bill amends Montana's wildlife code to establish a year-round open wolf hunting season with an unlimited quota that remains in effect until the state wolf population reaches 600 or fewer animals. It directly affects hunters, wildlife officials, and landowners by authorizing the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission to manage wolf hunting seasons and set population targets. The legislation also clarifies that the commission cannot close wolf hunting seasons in areas adjacent to national parks unless a harvest quota has been met, while maintaining existing provisions for special hunting seasons and trapping.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill removes wolf hunting restrictions and sets unlimited quotas until population drops to 600, weakening environmental protections for wolf conservation.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 18, 2025

LC 1321: Remove FWP requirement to regulate wolves as furbearers or game animals

This bill removes the legal requirement for Montana's Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to manage wolves as either game animals or furbearers. It amends state law to allow the department to classify wolves as a species in need of management instead, pending a future determination that they no longer require special protection. The legislation also clarifies that livestock protection measures, including special kill permits for landowners, must be part of an approved wolf management plan. This change affects how the state legally categorizes and regulates wolf populations without changing the authority to manage them.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill removes regulatory requirements for wolf management, potentially weakening environmental protections and reducing conservation oversight for a protected species.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 9, 2025

LC 2548: Require unlimited wolf hunting quota when population is at or above 450 wolves

This bill requires Montana's Fish and Wildlife Commission to implement an unlimited statewide wolf hunting quota when the gray wolf population reaches 450 or more. Under this provision, hunters and trappers could legally harvest an unlimited number of wolves, use bait for hunting, and hunt on private land at night with artificial light or night vision equipment. The legislation also mandates consistent data modeling methods for counting wolf populations and allows landowners to take wolves threatening safety or livestock without a hunting license, subject to annual quotas.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill allows unlimited wolf hunting, use of bait, and night hunting, which weakens wildlife conservation and environmental protections.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife

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