Guest Profile

Fish and wildlife bills that have moved out of one chamber of the Montana Legislature on to the other kept advancing last week. There were few new bills, but this week several committee hearings were held on measures that were already moving forward.

Montana FWP budget

The main budget bill for operations at Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks passed out of the full House last week. HB 2 contains the operations budget and while it has a few issues that will need amendments in the Senate, the bill is largely intact. That’s good for the day in, day out operations at FWP including fish and wildlife management.

State parks administration

Among them was HB 324, a bill that would allow the state Parks Board to choose its director while keeping the parks department under Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks administratively. The Montana Wildlife Federation opposes this bill because it would further divide the agency. The bill has passed the House and was heard last week in the Senate Fish and Game committee.

Block Management increase

HB 97 to bump up the cap on what a landowner can receive for participating in the Block Management program has passed the House and was heard this week in the Senate Fish and Game committee. MWF strongly supports this bill, which came out of the Private Land/Public Wildlife Council, and was joined with representatives of agriculture groups in support.

Habitat improvements bill

HB 434 has been passed by the House and is moving to the Senate. This bill would allow funding for habitat enhancement projects that are approved by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission, and has broad support.

Shooting range diversion, domestic foxes

A pair of bad bills died this week. HB 151, which required a certain amount for shooting ranges and would have jeopardized $20 million in federal firearm and ammunition taxes for Montana FWP, was tabled in the House Appropriations committee. This problematic bill keeps coming back, and every shooting range that applied last year received a grant. In addition, HB 157 to allow domestic foxes died.

Big week for Habitat Montana

This week is a big one for our most important habitat and access program, Habitat Montana. It is included in HB 5, the state capital improvements budget, and will be heard in the House Appropriations committee. MWF has worked with numerous partners in the conservation community to build support for this program and will be working to drive turnout to show support for Habitat Montana.

As always, check the Montana Wildlife Federation bill tracker at montanawildlife.org for the most up-to-date information on bills and where they’re at in the process. For questions, contact MWF Conservation Director Nick Gevock at ngevock@mtwf.org or by calling 458-0227 ext. 108.

The 2017 Legislature was back at it after the transmittal break, and lawmakers in the House got to work to pass Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks budget and send it to the Senate.

The operating budget, HB 2, contains the funding for the operations at FWP. The bill was heard before the House Appropriations committee, and passed with a few amendments. One of those is problematic because it uses federal Pittman Robertson firearm and ammunition excise tax dollars for law enforcement, which puts restrictions on what game wardens can use their time working on. We will be working to get that amended out when HB 2 is heard in the Senate Finance and Claims committee.

The budget also does one-time-only funding for the Parks and Communications and Education departments within FWP. While that’s not ideal for planning, it will give those departments a chance to review their budgets coming into the 2019 Legislature.

Next week, the House Appropriations committee will hear HB 5, the capitol improvements bill for the state that includes the Habitat Montana program. MWF has worked with 11 other sportsmen and conservation organizations to build a coalition to get Habitat Montana spending authority fully restored. We will be organizing to ensure that the committee hears the voices of hunters and anglers about the importance of our best habitat and access program.

Livestock Loss Prevention

SB 73 to renew the state Livestock Loss program was heard this week in the House Agriculture committee. This bill brings together conservation and agriculture groups to seek solutions to the difficult issues of living with wolves and grizzly bears. The bill renews the program that would sunset this year, and it includes funding for prevention work that includes carcass management, fencing and range riders. MWF has worked throughout the past year to build successful programs that benefit people and wildlife.

Hunters Against Hunger, CWD and other bills

SB 183, to lift the sunset on the Hunters Against Hunger program, passed out of House FWP and is sailing toward passage. In addition, this week SJ 9, calling for a study of chronic wasting disease, passed out of the Senate Fish and Game committee 7-4. We strongly support this effort to look into the biggest threat to ungulate herds and how to prepare for its arrival in Montana.

In addition, HB 324 to overhaul how state parks are managed passed out of the House. MWF opposes this bill and will work on the Senate side to kill it. While we understand that the parks have maintenance issues, those are best handled within the department under the leadership of the FWP director.

As always, check the Montana Wildlife Federation bill tracker at montanawildlife.org for the most up-to-date information on bills and where they’re at in the process. For questions, contact MWF Conservation Director Nick Gevock at ngevock@mtwf.org or by calling 458-0227 ext. 108.

Last week was a short one for the Montana Legislature, with only the House in session after the Senate adjourned Feb. 24. The House had very few committee hearings, but the floor sessions contained several wildlife and habitat related measures.

Roadblocked bill

The Montana Wildlife Federation crafted and pushed for HB 295, which would have increased the fine for gating an established county road from the current $10 per day to up to $500 per day. The bill was tabled earlier in the session in the House Judiciary committee in a 10-9 vote. But sponsor Rep. Tom Jacobson worked to blast it Monday onto the House floor, which would have triggered a debate the next day. The motion failed in a 48-51 vote.

Wilderness Study Area Releases

MWF and our conservation partners also worked to defeat HJ 9, which would have released hundreds of thousands of acres of National Forest lands in Montana for future wilderness designation consideration. More than 70 people attended the hearing to oppose the measure, but it passed out of committee and went to the floor. It passed 56-44 and goes on to the Senate.

Grizzly Delisting

Another resolution calling for Congress to go around the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and take grizzly bears throughout Montana off the Endangered Species Act passed last week. HJ 15 passed the House 63-37 in a bipartisan vote. MWF testified against the bill and will continue to oppose it. Although we supported delisting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly population, we believe it should go through the correct process and be limited to that population.

Public Lands Day

On a positive note, the House passed HB 491 to designate March 1 as Public Lands Day in a 52-48 vote. The measure is one that brings Montanans together to honor our public lands and everything they contribute to our state.

Looking ahead

Following the four day transmittal break, MWF will be busy again working on FWP’s budget. We will also have several hearings next week as bills that have passed one chamber move forward in the other chamber of the Legislature.

As always, check the Montana Wildlife Federation bill tracker at montanawildlife.org for the most up-to-date information on bills and where they’re at in the process. For questions, contact MWF Conservation Director Nick Gevock at ngevock@mtwf.org or by calling 458-0227 ext. 108.