Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB855: Establish FWP wildlife highway crossings and accommodation account
Status: Signed into law, May 13, 2025
What the bill says
An act providing funding for additional wildlife crossings in montana; authorizing the department of fish, wildlife, and parks to establish a specialty license plate; establishing a big game and wildlife highway crossings and accommodations account; providing a statutory appropriation; providing funding to the department of transportation for qualifying projects; amending section 17-7-502, mca; and providing an immediate effective date.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT PROVIDING FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL WILDLIFE CROSSINGS IN MONTANA; AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PARKS TO ESTABLISH A SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATE; ESTABLISHING A BIG GAME AND WILDLIFE HIGHWAY CROSSINGS AND ACCOMMODATIONS ACCOUNT; PROVIDING A STATUTORY APPROPRIATION; PROVIDING FUNDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR QUALIFYING PROJECTS; AMENDING SECTION 17-7-502, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, per capita Montana has the second highest number of wildlife-vehicle collisions in the nation with a 1-in-54 likelihood of hitting an animal and with a minimum of 6,000 big game carcasses collected each year from Montana highways; and WHEREAS, wildlife accommodations, such as underpasses and overpasses with fencing on public roadways, effectively reduce vehicle collisions with wildlife, save lives, and help prevent the costs associated with wildlife-vehicle collisions, including vehicle damage repairs, human injuries or fatalities, emergency response, and other costs estimated at a minimum of $119,719,100 annually, as well as the costs of increased insurance premiums; and WHEREAS, protecting wildlife movement has been shown to improve the herd vitality of big game species that are critical to Montana's outdoor recreation economy and is essential for other wildlife species; and WHEREAS, most Montanans from all walks of life support constructing more wildlife crossings, 77% of Montanans support providing funding for additional wildlife crossings in Montana, according to a 2023 survey …
Sponsors
- Zolnikov, Katie (R, 44) · primary sponsor
- Loge, Denley (R, 45)
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 17, 2025): 38 yea, 12 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 16, 2025): 40 yea, 8 nay, passed
- Do Pass (April 2, 2025): 89 yea, 6 nay, passed
- Do Pass (April 1, 2025): 96 yea, 3 nay, passed
Subjects: Fish, Appropriations, Revenue, State, State Finance
Common questions
- What is HB855?
- HB855 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Establish FWP wildlife highway crossings and accommodation account.
- What does HB855 do?
- In its own words: An act providing funding for additional wildlife crossings in montana; authorizing the department of fish, wildlife, and parks to establish a specialty license plate; establishing a big game and wildlife highway crossings and accommodations account; providing a statutory appropriation; providing funding to the department of transportation for qualifying projects; amending section 17-7-502, mca; and providing an immediate effective date.
- What is the status of HB855?
- Signed into law as of May 13, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 13, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB855?
- Zolnikov, Katie (R, 44), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB855?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2103
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.