Bill > HB145

This bill revises the fee for nonresident base hunting licenses in Montana by changing the current rate from $15 to $100, with a subsequent potential reduction to $50. The bill specifies that a base hunting license is a prerequisite for obtaining other hunting licenses and must be purchased annually. For nonresident hunters, the majority of the license fee (specifically $90 at the $100 rate, or $40 at the $50 rate) will be designated as a hunting access fee, which must be used by the state's wildlife department to fund hunting access programs as authorized under section 87-1-265. In contrast, resident base hunting licenses will remain at $10, with $2 allocated to hunting access programs. The bill appears designed to significantly increase revenue for hunting access initiatives while potentially making nonresident hunting licenses more expensive, which could impact out-of-state hunters' willingness to hunt in Montana.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1498