House Bill No. introduced by E. Byrne aims to revise laws related to hunting licenses in Montana. The bill amends sections 87-2-113 and 87-2-115 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) and repeals section 87-2-714. Key changes include the revision of the nonresident bonus point application fee structure, allowing nonresident landowners who participate in a block management hunting access program to purchase an additional bonus point for elk or deer licenses, and adjustments to the application fees for both residents and nonresidents. Specifically, the application fee for each species is set at $5, with additional fees for special licenses and bonus points.

Furthermore, the bill establishes a preference point system for nonresidents applying for Class B-10 and Class B-11 licenses, allowing them to purchase preference points for a nonrefundable fee. The department will allocate licenses based on the number of preference points accumulated, with 75% of licenses going to those with the most points and 25% to those without. The bill also outlines the allocation of fees collected from preference points to various public access and fisheries programs. The act is set to take effect on March 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1(1): 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1(10): 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1(11): 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1(12): 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1(13): 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1(2): 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1(3): 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1(4): 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1(5): 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1(6): 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1(7): 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1(8): 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1(9): 87-2-113, 87-2-115
HB0907_1: 87-2-113, 87-2-115