Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB559: Revise river usage laws related to commercial fishing, outfitting, and guiding
Status: Introduced, February 20, 2025
What the bill says
A bill for an act entitled: "an act revising laws related to commercial fishing, guiding, and outfitting; establishing commercial fishing, guiding, and outfitting-free days on stretches of rivers; and providing rulemaking authority.".
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATED TO COMMERCIAL FISHING, GUIDING, AND OUTFITTING; ESTABLISHING COMMERCIAL FISHING, GUIDING, AND OUTFITTING-FREE DAYS ON STRETCHES OF RIVERS; AND PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY." WHEREAS, many Montanans highly value floating and fishing on Montana's rivers and regularly pursue river-based recreation opportunities through the summer months; and WHEREAS, fishing outfitters and guides are an important part of Montana's recreation economy and provide fishing opportunities to thousands of clients floating Montana's rivers in the summer months; and WHEREAS, the growth in the number of boats, both recreational and commercial, have diminished the fishing and floating experience on Montana rivers on many days during the summer months; and WHEREAS, fishing guides, outfitters, and noncommercial floaters and anglers have come together to craft solutions to overcrowding on the Beaverhead, Big Hole, and the West Fork of the Bitterroot Rivers, and these solutions have enhanced and improved the recreational experience for all users; and WHEREAS, these solutions, which set aside certain stretches of river where commercial floating is not allowed on certain days of the week, provide a model that should be adopted on other heavily used Montana rivers, and the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks should move forward with rulemaking. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: NEW SECTION. Section 1. …
Sponsors
- France, Tom (D, 99) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : (H) Bill Withdrawn
- : (H) 1st Reading
- : (H) Referred to Committee
- : (H) Fiscal Note Requested
- : (H) Introduced
- : (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- : (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
- : (LC) Draft in Assembly
- : (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
- : (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
Subjects: Fish, Rule Making
Common questions
- What is HB559?
- HB559 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Revise river usage laws related to commercial fishing, outfitting, and guiding.
- What does HB559 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act entitled: "an act revising laws related to commercial fishing, guiding, and outfitting; establishing commercial fishing, guiding, and outfitting-free days on stretches of rivers; and providing rulemaking authority.".
- What is the status of HB559?
- Introduced as of February 20, 2025. Latest action: (H) Bill Withdrawn (February 20, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB559?
- France, Tom (D, 99).
- Where is the official record for HB559?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2406
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.