The bill revises existing laws concerning the release of wildlife location data and telemetry frequencies by the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. It establishes that, generally, the department cannot release data related to hunted or trapped animals, with specific exceptions. These exceptions include the release of data one year after the completion of a study that includes a report, data that is not part of a study one year after collection, data for environmental permitting activities, and sharing data with project partners and government agencies through data-sharing agreements.

Additionally, the bill amends Section 2-6-1003 of the Montana Code Annotated to clarify access to public information and introduces new exceptions regarding the release of wildlife location data. It removes the previous Montana historical society exception and adds a provision that prohibits the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, as well as any parties involved in data-sharing agreements, from releasing wildlife location data or telemetry frequencies of hunted or trapped animals, except as specified in the new section.

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(10): 2-6-1003
HB0264_2(11): 2-6-1003
HB0264_2(12): 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(8): 2-6-1003
HB0264_2(9): 2-6-1003
HB0264_2: 2-6-1003
HB0264_3(1): 2-6-1003
HB0264_3(2): 2-6-1003
HB0264_3(3): 2-6-1003
HB0264_3(4): 2-6-1003
HB0264_3(5): 2-6-1003
HB0264_3(6): 2-6-1003
HB0264_3(7): 2-6-1003
HB0264_3(8): 2-6-1003
HB0264_3(9): 2-6-1003
HB0264_3: 2-6-1003
HB0264_X(1): 2-6-1003
HB0264_X(2): 2-6-1003
HB0264_X(3): 2-6-1003
HB0264_X(4): 2-6-1003
HB0264_X(5): 2-6-1003
HB0264_X(6): 2-6-1003
HB0264_X: 2-6-1003