House Bill No. introduced by J. Karlen aims to revise laws concerning the release of wildlife location data and telemetry frequencies by the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. The bill establishes that, with certain exceptions, the department is prohibited from releasing data related to hunted or trapped animals. Specifically, wildlife location data can only be released one year after the completion of a study or the collection of data, rather than the previous three-year period. Additionally, the department is allowed to share this data with research partners and other government agencies through data-sharing agreements, subject to the restrictions outlined in the bill.

The bill also amends Section 2-6-1003 of the Montana Code Annotated, clarifying that the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, as well as any parties with whom the department has shared information under a data-sharing agreement, are prohibited from releasing wildlife location data or telemetry frequencies of hunted or trapped animals. This amendment reinforces the confidentiality of sensitive wildlife data while allowing for controlled sharing under specific circumstances. Overall, the bill seeks to enhance the protection of wildlife data while facilitating research and environmental permitting activities.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 2-6-1003
HB0264_1(1): 2-6-1003
HB0264_1(2): 2-6-1003
HB0264_1(3): 2-6-1003
HB0264_1(4): 2-6-1003
HB0264_1(5): 2-6-1003
HB0264_1(6): 2-6-1003
HB0264_1(7): 2-6-1003
HB0264_1: 2-6-1003
HB0264_2(1): 2-6-1003
HB0264_2(2): 2-6-1003
HB0264_2(3): 2-6-1003
HB0264_2(4): 2-6-1003
HB0264_2(5): 2-6-1003
HB0264_2(6): 2-6-1003
HB0264_2(7): 2-6-1003
HB0264_2: 2-6-1003