Montana Legislature 2023

[hobbes]

This took me a bit to assemble but I wanted to have a list for myself and thought some folks here may be interested also. The following is a list of bills that may be of interest. You can look up more info including bill language and adopted amendments here: LAWS Look Up Bill Information Page (mt.gov)

I have listed the number and general description of the bill including which party is the sponsor (because I know someone will ask) and where the bill stands. I may have added a comment or two. I don’t have much heartache over those already in committee. There are some still in the draft stage LC’s that may be of big concern to some folks.

HB 74 – Eliminate requirement to release pheasants. Passed the House and transmitted to the Senate. R

HB 131 – Remove 24 hour wait requirement for wolf license. Passed the House and transmitted to the Senate. R

HB 146 – Create landowner preference to hunt deer and antelope. (160 Acres or more - up to 15% of limited licenses) Passed the House and transmitted to the Senate. R

HB 372 – Establish right to hunt in Constitution. First reading in House Committee. R

SB 58 – Increase landowner payment cap for block management. (25,000 to 50,000) Passed Senate and transmitted to the House. R

SB76 – Remove requirement to attach paper tags to a game animal carcass. Passed Senate and transmitted to the House. D

SB84 – Revise laws related to hunting and aircraft use. Passed Senate and transmitted to the House. R

SB85 – Require management of delisted grizzly bears at sustainable levels. Passed the Senate and transmitted to the House. R


These are unintroduced bills as of this date. I think the LC stands for Legislative Council. Some are already in draft. There are a pile of LC’s with general description that don’t even have draft language that may never make it to a bill. I don’t recall if the Requestor will be the sponsor once it’s a bill but I’ve listed the requester party (again because I know someone will ask).

LC 0925 – Revising laws to accommodate grizzly bear delisting. (Draft is ready for delivery to Senate Committee) R

LC 1061 – Revise public access agreement laws. (Final draft review) R

LC 1200 – Revise penalties for criminal trespass while collecting antlers/sheds/horns. (Draft is ready for delivery to House Committee) D

LC 1203 – Provide penalties for selling data/images from trail cams on public land (Draft is ready for delivery to House Committee) D

LC 1735 – Resolution to stop large scale elk feeding in Wyoming (Draft requested) D

LC 1850 – Constitutional referendum to preserve stream access for the public (Draft on Hold) R

LC 1887 and 1893 – Protect opportunity to participate in multiple hunting seasons (Draft requested) R I have no idea what this is about, but it may have to do with the commission recommendation for selecting a weapon.

LC 2074 – Generally revise laws related to the Montana muzzleloader heritage hunt (Draft Requested) R I have no idea what this is about but I’ll be watching it.

LC 2498 – Generally revise trapping laws (Draft requested) D

LC 3501 – Revise laws related to managing deer, elk, and antelope populations. (Draft ready for delivery) D Removes “shall consider landowner tolerance” to “may consider landowner opinion”. This one will have some opposition.

LC 3616 – Revise nonresident bird hunting (Draft in assembly) D Nonresident license is good for any consecutive 14 day period or two 7 day periods. I know some nonresidents will have a stroke over this.

LC 3707 – Revise laws related to nonresident hunting and fishing (Draft ready) D Limits the number of B deer licenses that a nonresident may hold. This doesn’t go far enough in my opinion.

LC 4427 – Generally revise bird hunting season laws related bird dog training (Draft Final Review) D Makes professional training of bird dogs illegal on State and Federal lands from April 1 to Aug 31. I think this was tried before and didn’t make it. I’m all for it.

 

[voltage]

Thanks for sharing.

I know of a local (Missouri) dog trainer that takes dogs to Montana every summer to train on public land birds. I am not a big fan of public land regulation, but harassing birds at that time may need to be tightened down.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Thanks for taking the time

 

[Legend]

This took me a bit to assemble but I wanted to have a list for myself and thought some folks here may be interested also. The following is a list of bills that may be of interest. You can look up more info including bill language and adopted amendments here: LAWS Look Up Bill Information Page (mt.gov)

I have listed the number and general description of the bill including which party is the sponsor (because I know someone will ask) and where the bill stands. I may have added a comment or two. I don’t have much heartache over those already in committee. There are some still in the draft stage LC’s that may be of big concern to some folks.

HB 74 – Eliminate requirement to release pheasants. Passed the House and transmitted to the Senate. R

HB 131 – Remove 24 hour wait requirement for wolf license. Passed the House and transmitted to the Senate. R

HB 146 – Create landowner preference to hunt deer and antelope. (160 Acres or more - up to 15% of limited licenses) Passed the House and transmitted to the Senate. R

HB 372 – Establish right to hunt in Constitution. First reading in House Committee. R

SB 58 – Increase landowner payment cap for block management. (25,000 to 50,000) Passed Senate and transmitted to the House. R

SB76 – Remove requirement to attach paper tags to a game animal carcass. Passed Senate and transmitted to the House. D

SB84 – Revise laws related to hunting and aircraft use. Passed Senate and transmitted to the House. R

SB85 – Require management of delisted grizzly bears at sustainable levels. Passed the Senate and transmitted to the House. R


These are unintroduced bills as of this date. I think the LC stands for Legislative Council. Some are already in draft. There are a pile of LC’s with general description that don’t even have draft language that may never make it to a bill. I don’t recall if the Requestor will be the sponsor once it’s a bill but I’ve listed the requester party (again because I know someone will ask).

LC 0925 – Revising laws to accommodate grizzly bear delisting. (Draft is ready for delivery to Senate Committee) R

LC 1061 – Revise public access agreement laws. (Final draft review) R

LC 1200 – Revise penalties for criminal trespass while collecting antlers/sheds/horns. (Draft is ready for delivery to House Committee) D

LC 1203 – Provide penalties for selling data/images from trail cams on public land (Draft is ready for delivery to House Committee) D

LC 1735 – Resolution to stop large scale elk feeding in Wyoming (Draft requested) D

LC 1850 – Constitutional referendum to preserve stream access for the public (Draft on Hold) R

LC 1887 and 1893 – Protect opportunity to participate in multiple hunting seasons (Draft requested) R I have no idea what this is about, but it may have to do with the commission recommendation for selecting a weapon.

LC 2074 – Generally revise laws related to the Montana muzzleloader heritage hunt (Draft Requested) R I have no idea what this is about but I’ll be watching it.

LC 2498 – Generally revise trapping laws (Draft requested) D

LC 3501 – Revise laws related to managing deer, elk, and antelope populations. (Draft ready for delivery) D Removes “shall consider landowner tolerance” to “may consider landowner opinion”. This one will have some opposition.

LC 3616 – Revise nonresident bird hunting (Draft in assembly) D Nonresident license is good for any consecutive 14 day period or two 7 day periods. I know some nonresidents will have a stroke over this.

LC 3707 – Revise laws related to nonresident hunting and fishing (Draft ready) D Limits the number of B deer licenses that a nonresident may hold. This doesn’t go far enough in my opinion.

LC 4427 – Generally revise bird hunting season laws related bird dog training (Draft Final Review) D Makes professional training of bird dogs illegal on State and Federal lands from April 1 to Aug 31. I think this was tried before and didn’t make it. I’m all for it.

LC3708 makes tags for wealthy nonresident landowners. A tag for every 2500 acres. And it takes them from the nonresident total so the averag hunter will loose 15% of the allotted tags.

 

[hobbes]

LC3708 makes tags for wealthy nonresident landowners. A tag for every 2500 acres. And it takes them from the nonresident total so the averag hunter will loose 15% of the allotted tags.

Did I miss one in my list? I see HB 146

 

[goathunter]

Here's one to keep an eye on,

LC0020 - Provide for fish and wildlife commissioners to be elected by district.

Current Bill Progress: In Drafting Process

 

[Peaks&Creeks]

Thanks for sharing, this helps me with the jumble of proposals on the table.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hobbes]

Thanks for sharing, this helps me with the jumble of proposals on the table.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think some of the LC (legislative concepts) that don't have anything more than a general description could turn out to be anything. However, they don't have an endless amount of time to make it to committee then the floor.

 

[MT257]

Here's one to keep an eye on,

LC0020 - Provide for fish and wildlife commissioners to be elected by district.

Current Bill Progress: In Drafting Process

I’m not sure I want an elected commission.

Also, I saw late this week a bill was introduced to limit number of deer b tags a NR can get to either 1 or 2.

 

[handwerk]

Thanks for putting this together, good info.

 

[hobbes]

I’m not sure I want an elected commission.

Also, I saw late this week a bill was introduced to limit number of deer b tags a NR can get to either 1 or 2.

It was LC3707 but has a bill number now.

 

[goathunter]

I’m not sure I want an elected commission.

Also, I saw late this week a bill was introduced to limit number of deer b tags a NR can get to either 1 or 2.

You'd prefer the governor appoint them?

 

[Stache Attack]

Some that could be great some awful! Thank you for listing!

 

[MT257]

You'd prefer the governor appoint them?

I just think if it comes to electing them we may end up with people on the commission like Zinke or Rosendale who would “think they know what’s best for wildlife in the state.” I think they’d likely buy their way in instead of being elected on qualifying credentials.

 

[MT257]

The bill relating to super tag chance entries for residents is also interesting.

 

[MTSasquatch]

I just think if it comes to electing them we may end up with people on the commission like Zinke or Rosendale who would “think they know what’s best for wildlife in the state.” I think they’d likely buy their way in instead of being elected on qualifying credentials.

Lone voice in the Fish and Wildlife Commission: Byorth discusses difficult tenure

Former Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Pat Byorth discusses his tumultuous time on the board as the Gianforte administration took over the governor's office.

missoulian.com

Worth the read re: FW commission, legislative etc.

 

[MT257]

Lone voice in the Fish and Wildlife Commission: Byorth discusses difficult tenure

Former Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Pat Byorth discusses his tumultuous time on the board as the Gianforte administration took over the governor's office.

missoulian.com

Worth the read re: FW commission, legislative etc.

I read that this evening and also thought it was a good read.

 

[goathunter]

I just think if it comes to electing them we may end up with people on the commission like Zinke or Rosendale who would “think they know what’s best for wildlife in the state.” I think they’d likely buy their way in instead of being elected on qualifying credentials.

I don't see how it could be worse than what we have now, minus Byorth. Is he no longer serving BTW?

 

[MT257]

I don't see how it could be worse than what we have now, minus Byorth. Is he no longer serving BTW?

Termed out at end of the 2022 year.

 

[Hunt eat repeat]

This is great. Thanks for posting.
On the nonresident bird hunting : I met a guy a couple years ago in a campground that had 4 dogs and had been there for a month hunting birds on public. He was from the Midwest. The camp spot smelled so bad it was almost unbearable. Guys like that are a problem.