Repeal nonresident landowner preference for big game combo licenses

HB 519 would repeal a law that gave nonresident landowners (people who own Montana land but live outside the state) a special preference for big game hunting licenses (Class B-10). Currently, nonresidents can buy "preference points" for $100 each to improve their odds of securing a license, and landowners had an additional advantage under the repealed section. The bill removes this landowner preference, meaning all nonresidents would compete under the same preference point system. The change would take effect March 1, 2026, directly affecting nonresident landowners who currently benefit from the preference.