Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB554: Remove FWP requirement to regulate wolves as furbearers or game animals
Status: Signed into law, May 8, 2025
What the bill says
An act removing the requirement that the department of fish, wildlife, and parks manage, protect, classify, or regulate wolves as game animals or furbearers; and amending section 87-5-131, mca.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PARKS MANAGE, PROTECT, CLASSIFY, OR REGULATE WOLVES AS GAME ANIMALS OR FURBEARERS; AND AMENDING SECTION 87-5-131, MCA. Section 1. Section 87-5-131, MCA, is amended to read: "87-5-131. Process for delisting of gray wolf -- management following delisting. (1) If the United States fish and wildlife service removes the Northern Rocky Mountain or gray wolf from the United States' list of endangered or threatened wildlife, the department is authorized to remove the wolf from the state list of endangered species upon on a determination by the department pursuant to this part that the wolf is no longer endangered. (2) Following state delisting of the wolf, the department shall manage the wolf as a species in need of management. until the department and the commission determine that the wolf no longer needs protection as a species in need of management and can be managed and protected as a game animal or furbearer. Upon making that determination, the commission may declare the wolf a game animal or a furbearer and may regulate the taking of a wolf as a game animal or furbearer. (3) (a) Following state delisting of the wolf, the department, or the department of livestock, pursuant to 81-7-102 and 81-7-103, may control wolves for the protection and safeguarding …
Sponsors
- Ler, Brandon (R, 33) · primary sponsor
- Hertz, Greg (R, 7)
Latest actions
- : Chapter Number Assigned
- : (H) Signed by Governor
- : (H) Transmitted to Governor
- : (S) Signed by President
- : (H) Signed by Speaker
- : (H) Returned from Enrolling
- : (H) Sent to Enrolling
- : (S) 3rd Reading
- : (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
- : (S) 2nd Reading
Votes
- Do Concur (April 15, 2025): 29 yea, 21 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 14, 2025): 32 yea, 12 nay, passed
- Do Pass (March 6, 2025): 57 yea, 42 nay, passed
- Do Pass (March 4, 2025): 53 yea, 44 nay, passed
Subjects: Fish
Common questions
- What is HB554?
- HB554 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Remove FWP requirement to regulate wolves as furbearers or game animals.
- What does HB554 do?
- In its own words: An act removing the requirement that the department of fish, wildlife, and parks manage, protect, classify, or regulate wolves as game animals or furbearers; and amending section 87-5-131, mca.
- What is the status of HB554?
- Signed into law as of May 8, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 8, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB554?
- Ler, Brandon (R, 33), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB554?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1321
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.