Environment

signed · Montana · House Sep 29, 2025

HB 259: Revise fish and wildlife commission techniques for gray wolf management

HB 259 revises Montana's gray wolf management rules to give the Fish and Wildlife Commission more flexibility in controlling wolf populations. It allows landowners to kill wolves threatening livestock or safety without a hunting license (subject to reporting and annual quotas), expands hunting/trapping on private land at night using thermal/infrared scopes, and permits unlimited wolf harvest in high-population areas. The bill directly affects landowners, hunters, and the Fish and Wildlife Commission, which must implement these changes. Key provisions include new landowner take rules, modified hunting seasons based on regional wolf numbers, and immediate implementation upon enactment.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentAllows unrestricted wolf killing and weakens conservation protections, prioritizing livestock over ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Environment

died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 473: Prohibit weather modification.

SB 473 prohibits most weather modification activities in Montana, specifically banning large-scale "geoengineering" projects like spraying particles into the atmosphere to alter climate (e.g., stratospheric aerosol injection or marine cloud brightening). It exempts established cloud seeding practices used for agriculture and snowmaking under existing law (85-3-101 through 85-3-424). The bill directly affects researchers, companies, or entities conducting weather-altering experiments within Montana’s borders. Key provisions ban intentionally releasing chemicals or devices for weather control, temperature modification, or sunlight intensity changes, except for permitted cloud seeding. The law takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBans large-scale geoengineering (e.g., stratospheric aerosol injection) that could alter climate, protecting environment from untested interventions while exempting existing agricultural practices.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 176: Require unlimited wolf hunting quota when population is at or above 450 wolves

House 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.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill removes population limits on wolf hunting, weakening conservation protections for an ecosystem keystone species per Fish and Wildlife subjects.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Environment

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 658: Revise local board of health sanitation powers and rules

HB 658 would have limited local health boards' authority to create sanitation rules stricter than state standards, affecting communities that previously could enforce tougher local requirements. It specifically protected existing subsurface wastewater systems (like septic systems) from being subject to new local rule changes. The bill amended Montana law (sections 50-2-116 and 50-2-130) to remove local boards' ability to adopt more stringent sanitation regulations and to ensure current systems remain exempt from future rule updates. This change would have shifted regulatory authority toward state standards for wastewater and sanitation compliance.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill restricts local health boards' ability to create stricter sanitation rules than state standards, weakening local environmental protections for water/pollution control.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Environment

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 71: Revise special license requirements allowing second lion license and removing Tendoy sheep reporting

HB 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.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentRemoves mandatory wildlife harvest reporting, weakening data-driven conservation for mountain lions and Tendoy sheep populations.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Environment

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 258: Requiring the extension of wolf hunting season

House Bill 258 (HB 258) aimed to revise laws concerning wolf hunting in Montana. The bill would have required the Fish and Wildlife Commission to authorize an annual wolf hunting season. Its main provision was to extend this wolf hunting season to conclude concurrently with the spring bear hunting season, allowing for specific regional adjustments by the commission. This legislation would have directly impacted wolf hunters and the state's wildlife management policies for wolves.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentExtends wolf hunting season, potentially reducing wolf populations and weakening conservation efforts for a protected species under environmental protection policies.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Environment

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 222: Creating open wolf hunting season until the population is 600 or fewer

HB 222 proposed creating a year-round open wolf hunting season in Montana. This season would have an unlimited quota, meaning there would be no limit on the number of wolves that could be hunted. The hunting season would continue until the statewide wolf population reached 600 or fewer, at which point it could be closed. The bill aimed to amend existing state law to mandate that the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission authorize this specific wolf hunting season.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill mandates unrestricted wolf hunting to reduce population below conservation levels, directly opposing wildlife protection efforts and conservation requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Environment

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 256: Creation of Montana water trust and special revenue accounts

HB 256 proposed creating the Montana Water Development State Special Revenue Account to fund water-related projects and infrastructure. This new account would be established with gifts, legislative transfers, and $100 million transferred from the state's general fund over two years. The earnings from this account would be distributed, with 90% allocated to the water storage state special revenue account for state-owned water storage projects. The remaining 10% would go to the natural resources projects state special revenue account to support water storage pilot projects and dam inspections, ultimately affecting water infrastructure and safety across Montana.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAllocates $100M from general fund to water storage projects and natural resources, directly funding environmental conservation infrastructure.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HJ 39: Joint resolution protecting public lands.

House Joint Resolution 39 is a legislative statement from the Montana Legislature concerning public lands. The resolution supports keeping national public lands under the stewardship of the United States government and federal land management agencies. It expresses opposition to any efforts to sell, transfer, or dispose of national or state public lands. The resolution also encourages Montana's Governor, Attorney General, and Congressional Delegation to oppose future attempts to sell, transfer, or dispose of national public lands.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentOpposes land disposal, supporting federal stewardship of public lands for conservation and wildlife protection, directly advancing environmental resource management.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Environment

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 389: Provide for setbacks for wind turbine generators

HB 389, titled "Provide for setbacks for wind turbine generators," aimed to establish specific minimum distances for the construction of new wind turbine generators in Montana. The bill would have required wind turbines to be set back at least 1,250 feet from property lines with a wind energy agreement, 3,000 feet from public roads, and 7,920 feet from property lines without a wind energy agreement. This legislation would have directly affected wind energy developers and landowners by regulating the placement of new wind energy infrastructure.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyBill imposes strict physical restrictions (1,250-7,920 ft setbacks) on wind turbine placement, directly limiting renewable energy development infrastructure.90% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill imposes strict setbacks (up to 7,920 ft) for wind turbines, restricting renewable energy development and limiting clean energy expansion per environmental policy indicators.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Environment

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