House Bill No. introduced by T. France and others aims to enhance the recreational experience on Montana's rivers by establishing designated days when commercial fishing, guiding, and outfitting activities are prohibited on certain stretches of rivers. The bill mandates the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to identify specific river segments for these restrictions, which will occur for two days each week from the third Saturday of May until Labor Day. The identified rivers include the Bitterroot, Clark Fork, Big Blackfoot, Madison, upper Yellowstone, North Fork of the Flathead, and Middle Fork of the Flathead. The department is required to develop recommendations for which days will be designated as commercial-free, ensuring that at least one of those days is a Saturday.

Additionally, the bill outlines a public engagement process for the identification of these river stretches, including opportunities for public notice, comment, and hearings. The department must complete the identification process by October 1, 2027, and the commission will have six months to adopt, modify, or reject the recommendations. The bill also includes a provision for the department to adopt rules to implement these changes by May 15, 2026. This legislation is intended to be codified as part of Title 87, chapter 3, part 1 of Montana law.