Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana SB178: Provide for temporary lease of water rights
Status: Signed into law, May 5, 2025
What the bill says
An act providing for temporary leases of a water right; revising a definition; extending rulemaking authority; and amending sections 85-2-102 and 85-2-404, mca.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR TEMPORARY LEASES OF A WATER RIGHT; REVISING A DEFINITION; EXTENDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; AND AMENDING SECTIONS 85-2-102 AND 85-2-404, MCA. Section 1. Temporary lease of appropriation right -- notice. (1) Applications to temporarily lease an appropriation right that comply with the requirements of this section are not subject to the provisions of 85-2402, 85-2-407, 85-2-408, 85-2-410, or 85-2-436. After obtaining approval pursuant to this section, an appropriator may temporarily lease an appropriation right. (2) The amount of water leased may not exceed the total consumptive use of the appropriation right. For an irrigation right, the consumptive volume may not exceed 2 acre-feet per acre irrigated. (3) (a) Each appropriation right leased pursuant to this (ii) may be leased only during the period of diversion for the appropriation right; (iii) may not be leased for more than 5 years during any consecutive 10-year period; (iv) may not be leased for more than 40 days a year; and (v) may only be leased for a beneficial use as defined in 85-2-102. (b) The volume and flow rate of water leased may not exceed the appropriator's original water appropriation right. (c) The point of diversion for the appropriation right may not be changed. (4) The use of an appropriation right on a place of use associated with leased water is …
Sponsors
- Vinton, Sue (R, 20) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Chapter Number Assigned
- : (S) Signed by Governor
- : (S) Transmitted to Governor
- : (H) Signed by Speaker
- : (S) Signed by President
- : (S) Returned from Enrolling
- : (S) Sent to Enrolling
- : (S) 3rd Reading House Amendments
- : (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
- : (S) 2nd Reading House Amendments
Votes
- Do Pass (April 17, 2025): 47 yea, 3 nay, passed
- Do Pass (April 16, 2025): 43 yea, 7 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 11, 2025): 99 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 10, 2025): 93 yea, 6 nay, passed
- Do Pass (February 14, 2025): 33 yea, 17 nay, passed
- Do Pass (February 13, 2025): 38 yea, 12 nay, passed
Subjects: Rule Making, Water
Common questions
- What is SB178?
- SB178 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Provide for temporary lease of water rights.
- What does SB178 do?
- In its own words: An act providing for temporary leases of a water right; revising a definition; extending rulemaking authority; and amending sections 85-2-102 and 85-2-404, mca.
- What is the status of SB178?
- Signed into law as of May 5, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 5, 2025).
- Who sponsored SB178?
- Vinton, Sue (R, 20).
- Where is the official record for SB178?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0431
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.