Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB704: Generally revise ground water laws
Status: Failed, May 20, 2025
What the bill says
A bill for an act revising exceptions from water right permitting; revising laws involving the designation of controlled ground water areas; providing for temporary legislative controlled ground water closure and monitoring areas; providing rulemaking authority; amending sections 85-2-113, 85-2-306, 85-2-381, 85-2-506, and 85-2-524, mca; and providing an immediate effective date and a termination date.".
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT REVISING EXCEPTIONS FROM WATER RIGHT PERMITTING; REVISING LAWS INVOLVING THE DESIGNATION OF CONTROLLED GROUND WATER AREAS; PROVIDING FOR TEMPORARY LEGISLATIVE CONTROLLED GROUND WATER CLOSURE AND MONITORING AREAS; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; AMENDING SECTIONS 85-2-113, 85-2-306, 85-2-381, 85-2-506, AND 85-2-524, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE AND A TERMINATION DATE." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: NEW SECTION. Section 1. Temporary legislative controlled ground water closure and monitoring areas. (1) Pending the outcome of a groundwater study provided for in 85-2-506(3)(a)(i) and subject to subsection (2), ground water may only be appropriated by a permit issued pursuant to 85-2-302 in the following temporary legislative controlled ground water closure areas as designated by the department: (a) the Gallatin Valley aquifer within the department administrative boundary 41H, including the unconsolidated basin-fill sediments up to the consolidated bedrock contact and where it is not present to the surface hydrologic divide between major subbasins; (b) the Helena Valley aquifer within the department administrative boundary 41I, including the unconsolidated basin-fill sediments up to the consolidated bedrock contact and where it is not present to the surface hydrologic divide between major subbasins; (c) the Bitterroot Valley aquifer within the department administrative boundary 76H, including the unconsolidated basin-fill sediments up to the consolidated bedrock contact and where it …
Sponsors
- Vinton, Mike (R, 40) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : (H) Died in Process
- : (H) Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal
- : (H) 2nd Reading
- : (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
- : (H) Committee Report
- : (H) Committee Executive Action
- : (H) Fiscal Note Printed
- : (H) Hearing
- : (H) Fiscal Note Signed
- : (H) Fiscal Note Received
Votes
- Do Pass (March 5, 2025): 44 yea, 54 nay, failed
Subjects: Rule Making, Water
Common questions
- What is HB704?
- HB704 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Generally revise ground water laws.
- What does HB704 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act revising exceptions from water right permitting; revising laws involving the designation of controlled ground water areas; providing for temporary legislative controlled ground water closure and monitoring areas; providing rulemaking authority; amending sections 85-2-113, 85-2-306, 85-2-381, 85-2-506, and 85-2-524, mca; and providing an immediate effective date and a termination date.".
- What is the status of HB704?
- Failed as of May 20, 2025. Latest action: (H) Died in Process (May 20, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB704?
- Vinton, Mike (R, 40).
- Where is the official record for HB704?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC4169
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.