Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana SJ18: Resolution supporting recreation uses on Flathead Lake
Status: Passed one chamber, May 5, 2025
What the bill says
A joint resolution of the senate and the house of representatives of the state of montana urging the fair treatment of recreational needs at flathead lake.
From the engrossed text:
A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA URGING THE FAIR TREATMENT OF RECREATIONAL NEEDS AT FLATHEAD LAKE. WHEREAS, Flathead Lake is Montana's largest freshwater lake and the 79th largest of its type in the world, measuring 191 square miles in area, up to 370 feet deep, with 187 miles of shoreline; and WHEREAS, fed by the Flathead and Swan Rivers, the lake is considered one of the cleanest in the world and is home to many fish species, including bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout, lake trout, whitefish, and perch, and has other features, such as wetlands, riparian corridors, and floodplains; and WHEREAS, Flathead Lake is a major destination for sailing, motorboating, waterskiing, swimming, fishing, picnicking, and camping and is enjoyed at 13 public access sites, one state park on an island, and hundreds of private and public boat docks; and WHEREAS, although federal regulations require the lake to be brought to full pool by June 15 for summer recreation, decisions by federal agencies, dam operators, and interests outside the Flathead Lake basin have lowered the pool level, rendering it mostly unusable for thousands of citizens who live on and near it; and WHEREAS, the ongoing renegotiation of the Columbia River Treaty presents an opportunity to improve management of the lake to …
Sponsors
- Regier, Matt (R, 5) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : (S) Filed with Secretary of State
- : (H) Signed by Speaker
- : (S) Signed by President
- : (S) Returned from Enrolling
- : (S) Sent to Enrolling
- : (H) Returned to Senate
- : (H) 3rd Reading
- : (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
- : (H) 2nd Reading
- : (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
Votes
- Do Concur (April 24, 2025): 56 yea, 44 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 23, 2025): 56 yea, 43 nay, passed
- Do Pass (April 5, 2025): 44 yea, 4 nay, passed
- Do Pass (April 4, 2025): 47 yea, 1 nay, passed
Subjects: General Joint Resolution, Water, Federal Government
Common questions
- What is SJ18?
- SJ18 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Resolution supporting recreation uses on Flathead Lake.
- What does SJ18 do?
- In its own words: A joint resolution of the senate and the house of representatives of the state of montana urging the fair treatment of recreational needs at flathead lake.
- What is the status of SJ18?
- Passed one chamber as of May 5, 2025. Latest action: (S) Filed with Secretary of State (May 5, 2025).
- Who sponsored SJ18?
- Regier, Matt (R, 5).
- Where is the official record for SJ18?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2278
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.