Rep. Shannon Maness

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 176 (HB 176) revises Montana's wolf hunting laws, primarily affecting the Fish and Wildlife Commission, wolf hunters, trappers, and landowners. The bill mandates an unlimited statewide gray wolf hunting quota when the state's wolf population reaches or exceeds 450 wolves. Under this quota, the Commission must authorize multiple hunting licenses per applicant, allow an individual to harvest an unlimited number of wolves, permit the use of bait for hunting or trapping, and allow night hunting on private lands with artificial light or night vision scopes. It also requires consistent data modeling for wolf population estimates.

Maddy summaryHB 71 revises Montana hunting rules by allowing hunters to obtain more than one mountain lion license in a single license year, removing a previous restriction that limited hunters to one lion license per year. It also eliminates mandatory reporting requirements for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks regarding harvests and tissue sampling from the Tendoy mountain sheep herd. These changes directly affect hunters seeking mountain lion licenses and the wildlife department’s reporting obligations. The bill amends Section 87-2-702 of Montana law to reflect these policy adjustments, focusing on simplifying licensing and reducing administrative reporting burdens.

Maddy summaryHB 205, titled "Revise death penalty laws," aimed to modify the method of execution for individuals sentenced to death in Montana. The bill proposed changing the specific requirement for lethal injection from an ultra-fast-acting barbiturate and a chemical paralytic agent to "a substance or substances in a lethal quantity sufficient to cause death." This change would broaden the types of drugs that could be used in executions. The bill also maintained existing provisions regarding execution dates, confinement, and the selection of witnesses and execution personnel.

Maddy summaryHB 802 aimed to revise Montana's zoning laws concerning the rental of primary residences. The bill stipulated that county and municipal zoning regulations could not prohibit the short-term rental of a property owner's primary residence, an accessory dwelling unit on the same parcel, or a residence on a neighboring lot. A "primary residence" was defined as a dwelling occupied by the owner for at least 183 days annually. This measure would have established these specific short-term rentals as permissible uses, limiting local government authority to ban them.

Maddy summaryHB 800 revises Montana's residential landlord and tenant laws, affecting landlords, tenants, and individuals occupying a property without a formal agreement. The bill clarifies that guests who have not established a landlord-tenant relationship are not covered by these laws and can be prosecuted for criminal trespass if they refuse to leave. It also provides for the immediate removal of unauthorized persons or trespassers by law enforcement. The legislation accelerates the timelines for court hearings in landlord possession actions and for sheriffs to execute writs of assistance. Additionally, it updates the procedures for landlords to dispose of a tenant's abandoned personal property after a lease ends.

Maddy summaryThe Montana Firearms Liability Clarification Act (HB 801) revises state laws to limit the legal liability of firearms manufacturers and sellers. It establishes strict conditions for bringing "negligent marketing" claims against these companies, requiring proof that marketing directly targeted prohibited individuals, encouraged unlawful use, and violated a specific firearm-related law. The bill also mandates a narrow interpretation of the "predicate exception" in federal law, preventing the use of general state consumer protection or public nuisance laws to bring such claims. Individuals filing claims that do not meet these new requirements may face dismissal and be ordered to pay the defendant's legal fees.

Maddy summaryHB 175 requires Montana's Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to publish an annual public report detailing population data for elk, deer, and antelope in hunting districts. This report must explain how the department estimated animal numbers, using methods like field observations or hunter data. The bill directly affects hunters, wildlife managers, and the public by making this population data transparent and accessible each year. It amends existing law to add this specific annual reporting requirement for these three big game species.