Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana SB304: Revise Montana lakeshore laws
Status: Failed, May 23, 2025
What the bill says
A bill for an act providing for stop-work orders, surety bonds, and liens for unauthorized lakeshore work; revising penalties; revising a definition; and amending sections 75-7-202, 75-7-205, 75-7212, 75-7-214, and 75-7-216, mca.".
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT PROVIDING FOR STOP-WORK ORDERS, SURETY BONDS, AND LIENS FOR UNAUTHORIZED LAKESHORE WORK; REVISING PENALTIES; REVISING A DEFINITION; AND AMENDING SECTIONS 75-7-202, 75-7-205, 75-7212, 75-7-214, AND 75-7-216, MCA." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: Section 1. Section 75-7-202, MCA, is amended to read: "75-7-202. Definitions. As used in this part, the following definitions apply: (1) "Lake" means a body of standing water and the area within its lakeshore occurring naturally rather than by virtue of constructed impoundments (although a natural lake whose level is raised and whose area is increased by the construction of impoundments includes the additional level and area), having a water surface area of at least 160 acres for at least 6 months in a year of average precipitation as such averages are determined by the United States geological survey, not used exclusively for agricultural purposes, and navigable by canoes and small boats. (2) "Lakeshore" is the perimeter of a lake when the lake is at mean annual high-water elevation, including the land within 20 horizontal feet from that high-water elevation. (3) "Local governing body" or "governing body" is: (a) that unit of local government authorized to administer the Montana Subdivision and Platting Act on the land adjoining a lake or part of a lake subject to this …
Sponsors
- Fern, Dave (D, 2) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : (S) Died in Process
- : (S) Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal
- : (S) Tabled in Committee
- : (S) Hearing
- : (S) Referred to Committee
- : (S) 1st Reading
- : (S) Introduced
- : (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- : (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
- : (LC) Draft in Assembly
Subjects: Property, Water, Environmental Protection, Local Government
Common questions
- What is SB304?
- SB304 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Revise Montana lakeshore laws.
- What does SB304 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act providing for stop-work orders, surety bonds, and liens for unauthorized lakeshore work; revising penalties; revising a definition; and amending sections 75-7-202, 75-7-205, 75-7212, 75-7-214, and 75-7-216, mca.".
- What is the status of SB304?
- Failed as of May 23, 2025. Latest action: (S) Died in Process (May 23, 2025).
- Who sponsored SB304?
- Fern, Dave (D, 2).
- Where is the official record for SB304?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1858
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.