MT - SB143 Opposition to Special Guide Licenses - Trying to make this easy...

[caesAR15]

I try to keep up on legislation that may affect me. This Montana bill, SB143, giving outfitters and guides 60% of the state's licenses seems especially... gross (the people of MT voted down this bill via ballot initiative in 2010).

I know there are others like me on this forum who oppose this measure. I also know many people who oppose these kinds of things don't take action. So, in an effort to provide a little value to this great forum I figure I'll do what I can to make it easy for you all to weigh in.

Below is the email I just sent to MT Senate Game and Fish Committee, I've even provided the email addresses. All you have to do open your email, copy and paste into the corresponding fields, add your name to the bottom, and hit SEND. It'll take you 60 seconds or less to do your good deed for the day.

I don't know how to make it any easier. If I could hit send for you, I would

Please spread the word!



UPDATED 2/15/21 to now include the House Fish Wildlife and Parks Committee. This bill will likely get routed through that committee, so we'd do well to try to get out in front of it and start making our voices heard there. It's an uphill climb, but stopping this at the committee level in the House is likely our best hope. SPREAD THE WORD!

TO:​

House Fish Wildlife and Parks Committee:
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];

​

SUBJECT​

SB143 - Set aside outfitter licenses​

​

​

​

I’m writing to urge you to Vote No on SB143, the bill allocating exclusive licenses for outfitters and guides.​

​

This issue was settled in 2010 when outfitter carve-outs were REJECTED by the voters of Montana via ballot initiative 161. The fact that a special interest group is now trying to use the legislature to reverse the will of the people is an affront to Montana voters. Not only that, by asking for special outfitter license allocation this special interest group is effectively demanding that the Montana legislature guarantee them customers and provide state resources for their businesses.​

​

Hunting is already a difficult and expensive activity that gets more and more costly every year. If the Montana legislature gives special, carve-out licenses to outfitters it will be giving special priority status to wealthy hunters who can afford the extremely high cost of hiring an outfitter. This will be done at the expense of working-class, blue-collar hunters such as myself and those like me.​

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I respectfully urge you to adhere to the will of the Montana voters, to not give in to special interests' demand for government handouts, and to keep hunting accessible for hunters of all means. Please Vote No on SB143.​

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Respectfully​

JOHN DOE​

 

[caesAR15]

If anyone gets a reply from a Senator indicating For or Against this bill make sure to post it up. I'll update this post as we go. With a little luck, we can crowdsource our way to knowing whether or not this bill has the votes to pass.



Full Senate vote 2/15/21

	NO (23)	YES (27)
1	N Bennett, Bryce	Y Ankney, Duane
2	N Boland, Carlie	Y Blasdel, Mark
3	N Cohenour, Jill	Y Bogner, Kenneth
4	N Ellis, Janet	Y Boldman, Ellie
5	N Flowers, Pat	Y Brown, Bob
6	N Fox, Mike	Y Cuffe, Mike
7	N Glimm, Carl	Y Ellsworth, Jason
8	N Gross, Jen	Y Esp, John
9	N Hinebauch, Steve	Y Fitzpatrick, Steve
10	N Keenan, Bob	Y Friedel, Chris
11	N Lynch, Ryan	Y Gauthier, Terry
12	N Manzella, Theresa	Y Gillespie, Bruce
13	N McClafferty, Edith (Edie)	Y Hertz, Greg
14	N McNally, Mary	Y Hoven, Brian
15	N Molnar, Brad	Y Howard, David
16	N Morigeau, Shane	Y Jacobson, Tom
17	N O'Brien, Shannon	Y Kary, Douglas (Doug)
18	N Pomnichowski, JP	Y Lang, Mike
19	N Pope, Christopher	Y McGillvray, Tom
20	N Sands, Diane	Y Osmundson, Ryan
21	N Sweeney, Mark	Y Regier, Keith
22	N Tempel, Russel (Russ)	Y Sales, Walt
23	N Webber, Susan	Y Salomon, Daniel
24		Y Small, Jason
25		Y Smith, Cary
26		Y Vance, Gordon
27		Y Welborn, Jeffrey

 

[MT257]

Been discussed on three other threads on here. I’m guessing if it’s like anything this year this will get out of committee along party line votes.

 

[MuleyFever]

Too easy to not just do it. Email sent.

 

[netman]

caesAR15
Thanks! This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I’ve sent emails to each senator already but want to send something each week. They had a hearing on February 2 but no decisions were made. We need to keep the pressure on.
I’ve been in some real dandy heated discussions on Facebook over this.
Thanks again

 

[Chordeiles]

Thanks. Emails sent......again.
The only response I’ve been getting is an automated one from Jill Cohenour.

 

[caesAR15]

caesAR15
Thanks! This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I’ve sent emails to each senator already but want to send something each week. They had a hearing on February 2 but no decisions were made. We need to keep the pressure on.
I’ve been in some real dandy heated discussions on Facebook over this.
Thanks again

Glad it helped @netman. If it gets a few more of our guys off the fence and into the fray it's time well spent.

 

[Tony8108]

Does anyone know when this gets voted on?

 

[MT257]

Does anyone know when this gets voted on?

I’d guess committee will vote next week maybe later depending on the amendments that are made.

 

[caesAR15]

Shameless bump.

DIY hunters need to make their voices heard on this.

 

[Johnson27]

Emails sent.

 

[hoyt-guy]

Sent a couple of emails off on this last week. Fingers crossed it gets voted down.

 

[MrSunday]

Thanks for this. Emails sent.

 

[caesAR15]

If anyone gets a reply from a Senator indicating For or Against this bill make sure to post it up. I'll update this post as we go. With a little luck, we can crowdsource our way to knowing whether or not this bill has the votes to pass.

I know for a fact that Sen. Jason Ellsworth is FOR the special carve-out for outfitters (he sponsored the bill). If you hear of others, speak up and we can start filling in the blanks.

	MT Senate Fish & Game Committee
FOR SB143​	Position unknown​	AGAINST SB143​
Jason Ellsworth Steve Hinebauch	Jill Cohenour Pat Flowers Tom Jacobson Edith McClafferty Jennifer Fielder David Howard Mike Lang Cary Smith	​

Just did a quick search to see if there's been any movement on this bill and discovered this article from just a few hours ago in the Sidney Daily Herald.
https://www.sidneyherald.com/opinio...cle_242f0a7a-69cc-11eb-9015-63c7aaad46be.html

Steve Hinebauch is chair of the Fish and Game Committee. Based on his comments I feel reasonably confident he'd be a Yes vote for this bill.

Anyone else reading this gotten any responses?? I'd love a bit more info on where these legislators stand.

 

[MT257]

If anyone gets a reply from a Senator indicating For or Against this bill make sure to post it up. I'll update this post as we go. With a little luck, we can crowdsource our way to knowing whether or not this bill has the votes to pass.

I know for a fact that Sen. Jason Ellsworth is FOR the special carve-out for outfitters (he sponsored the bill). If you hear of others, speak up and we can start filling in the blanks.


Change log:
2/8/21 - Moved S. Hinebauch to the FOR SB143 column based on this article

	MT Senate Fish & Game Committee
FOR SB143​	Position unknown​	AGAINST SB143​
Jason Ellsworth Steve Hinebauch	Jill Cohenour Pat Flowers Tom Jacobson Edith McClafferty Jennifer Fielder David Howard Mike Lang Cary Smith	​

I believe your committee members are from the 2019-2020 legislative f and g committee. Yes some are still there but not all of them are on the committee any more.

 

[mlgc20]

Just did a quick search to see if there's been any movement on this bill and discovered this article from just a few hours ago in the Sidney Daily Herald.
https://www.sidneyherald.com/opinio...cle_242f0a7a-69cc-11eb-9015-63c7aaad46be.html

Steve Hinebauch is chair of the Fish and Game Committee. Based on his comments I feel reasonably confident he'd be a Yes vote for this bill.

Anyone else reading this gotten any responses?? I'd love a bit more info on where these legislators stand.


View attachment 262000

Ironic that he says that "It's amazing to me that Government always think they know better than parents."

But, is apparently going to back legislation that says the Government knows better than the hunter on whether they need an outfitter or not.

 

[mtnbiker208]

interesting concept to have nonresidents, dictate to resident legislators, what nonresidents want in a state they do not live in.
not saying i am for or against, just stating, interesting concept.

 

[Lawnboi]

interesting concept to have nonresidents, dictate to resident legislators, what nonresidents want in a state they do not live in.
not saying i am for or against, just stating, interesting concept.

I think it’s more about legislation wanting to take tags away from the everyday joe hunter and give them to people who have to pay to play. At least that’s the way I see it. Might not be a popular opinion here but I’m not a big fan of outfitters

 

[caesAR15]

interesting concept to have nonresidents, dictate to resident legislators, what nonresidents want in a state they do not live in.
not saying i am for or against, just stating, interesting concept.

Fair point. I personally find it interesting how there was a statewide ballot initiative about this EXACT issue in 2010. The voters of MT killed it then. But now the guides are trying to revise history via the legislature. To me that speaks volumes.

 

[caesAR15]

Ironic that he says that "It's amazing to me that Government always think they know better than parents."

But, is apparently going to back legislation that says the Government knows better than the hunter on whether they need an outfitter or not.

Goes to show that if you're not organized and represented politically, it doesn't matter whether you're right or wrong. In this case the guides assoc. are clearly organized and represented and thus have the ear of the legislature, whereas us DIYers are not and are now trying to play catchup.