House Bill 681 revises the laws governing local and state regulation of subdivisions and the determination of water availability in Montana. It clarifies the definition of "water right" to exclude authorized notices of intent to appropriate groundwater and amends the process for issuing certificates of water rights for exempt groundwater appropriations. The bill introduces new requirements for filing notices of intent, including timelines for corrections, and establishes that water use by public water supply systems is perfected upon construction completion. Additionally, it outlines exceptions to permit requirements for groundwater appropriation, particularly for local fire agencies and certain nonconsumptive uses, and allows for the construction of livestock water impoundments without a permit under specific conditions.

Significant insertions in the bill require governing bodies to base their subdivision review solely on the criteria provided in the chapter, without influence from state agency decisions. It mandates that evidence of adequate water availability for proposed subdivisions must be demonstrated through various means, including water rights or technical analyses. The bill also introduces new requirements for subdividers to provide evidence of sufficient water quality and allows for a complete nondegradation analysis as an alternative to preliminary assessments. Furthermore, it emphasizes the responsibilities of the Department of Environmental Quality in enforcing subdivision approvals and establishes criteria for granting waivers. The effective date for the bill is set for January 1, 2026, applying to subdivisions reviewed under Title 76, chapter 3, on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_1(1): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_1(2): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_1(3): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_1(4): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_1: 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_2(1): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_2(10): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_2(11): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_2(12): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_2(2): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_2(3): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_2(4): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_2(5): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_2(6): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_2(7): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_2(8): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_2(9): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_2: 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_3(1): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_3(2): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_3(3): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_3(4): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_3(5): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_3(6): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_3(7): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_3: 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_4(1): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_4(10): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_4(11): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_4(12): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_4(2): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_4(3): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_4(4): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_4(5): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_4(6): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_4(7): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_4(8): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_4(9): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_4: 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_X(1): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_X(2): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_X(3): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_X(4): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_X(5): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_X(6): 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306
HB0681_X: 76-3-501, 76-3-604, 76-3-608, 76-3-622, 76-4-104, 85-2-102, 85-2-306