[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6624443,"mediaKeyId","2766237-f41dc6262e4799bc91ef2fbc28af52d8","parentId",2766237,"title","House committee debates Fish, Wildlife & Parks funding for hunter education, nongame programs and genetics research","audioSeconds",618,"startMs",916000,"endMs",1534000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2766237-f41dc6262e4799bc91ef2fbc28af52d8&start=916&end=1534","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2766237-f41dc6262e4799bc91ef2fbc28af52d8/thumbnail_916000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6624443/Montana/House-committee-debates-Fish-Wildlife-Parks-funding-for-hunter-education-nongame-programs-and-genetics-research","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624443-97b664fd73e7cf4626cae03548dca6c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1776325176&Signature=dalY3T9wrNmifR1fdYJQgzz6T4XahK3658KYXR~d33ZkfoTBcyV5hDFGYwLmlXm6tdG1UFwuDwLsx~MYAVA95N29roSL32CTEXHsUDWcQJxMRhtFD~ArwFh20L7vVNeaq6inqOV-UCcPpTValNrVGXfRnkHvl-RJjsFKTBPjYy0WsFCsFqqwEqoBJHu~y4TtxJFXz2pZIvmR3c4fSWqFWOGKPL21tc5dWWjUsssQ8xUAcQ~LYz-qPXsXptQ4zfB8Juuc-s0-S6Tno8LmYxOaPSnnGOEwniijI34t49ZwY1~qLJ8GhqTLakrJYo52YsraM2fZYZD3mzLM2jYZuQHZow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montana Legislature","date","2025-03-25T00:00:00Z","article","Lawmakers in the Montana House Appropriations Committee debated several amendments tied to Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) during executive action on House Bill 2, Section C, with votes on restoring hunter education staff, trimming nongame and wildlife programs and funding genetic and fish-health research.

The most immediate debate came over an amendment to restore DP801, which would add seven positions in FWP’s Communications and Education Division and budget $233,628 in state special and $700,882 in federal funds for the biennium to support hunter and boating safety, licensing help and regional office customer service. Representative Betsy Powers, the amendment sponsor, said the positions would “enhance regional customer service, expand outdoor education programs like boating safety and hunter education and support regional offices during peak seasons.” Powers noted the funding would not come from the general fund but from state special accounts and federal matches tied to licenses and entries.

Quentin Kujala, chief of conservation policy for FWP, explained in committee that nongame and game species are managed differently and that for many nongame species “we're still very much on the front end of just understanding abundance, the distribution of some of these species.” He told members that lack of baseline data can prompt petitions to list species and that directed inventory and monitoring are the typical uses for nongame funding.

A related amendment proposing a one-time appropriation to support hunter-education programs (a separate OTO amendment described as restricted and intended to be distributed via grants) failed on a roll-call vote of 2 yes, 21 no. The earlier amendment to restore DP801 (the seven positions) failed on a roll call of 11 yes, 12 no.

Committee members objected to some of the increases on the grounds that state special funds derive from hunter-license fees and other user charges; Representative John Schillinger and others warned that expanding programs funded by those sources may eventually require fee increases. Representative Powers and several colleagues countered that many of the proposed activities — hunter education, boating safety, volunteer recruitment, licensing assistance — are core FWP services and had been part of the governor’s budget request.

Separately, the committee considered rollbacks offered by Representative Schillinger that would have removed authority and funding for several FWP initiatives, including: a $1.6 million biennial reduction in nongame fisheries (DP302), a $2.7 million reduction in nongame wildlife programs, elimination of positions for water-hydrology studies ($227,289), two positions for wildlife genetics ($418,007), and two positions for the fish-health laboratory ($534,230). Of those, the committee voted to approve the $1.6 million reduction in nongame fisheries (12 yes, 11 no) and rejected the other proposed cuts: the wildlife program reduction (10 yes, 13 no); the hydrology position cut (7 yes, 16 no); the genetics positions cut (7 yes, 16 no); and the fish health lab cut (7 yes, 16 no).

FWP witnesses told the committee that the genetics and fish-health efforts are intended to support species management, hatchery broodstock health and to improve scientific rigor for policy discussions on sensitive topics such as delisting and harvest management. Kujala described genetics work as providing “a mix in genetics from the other [populations]” and said genetics improves resilience and informs management for species that are hard to count by traditional methods.

Committee members repeatedly noted that most of these FWP accounts are state special revenue supported by license and user fees, not general fund, and several members expressed concern about expanding workloads without explicitly identifying longer-term impacts on license costs.

The committee closed executive action on Section C after voting through the package of amendments. The mix of outcomes left some FWP expansions intact while approving one targeted reduction to nongame fisheries funding.

Ending: The committee wrapped Section C and moved to a brief break before opening Section D, where funding issues for other agencies were addressed.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Appropriations - Mar 25, 2025 08:30 - 13:00","oneSentenceSummary","Lawmakers in the Montana House Appropriations Committee debated several amendments tied to Fish, Wildlife & Parks during executive action on House Bill 2, Section C, with votes on restoring hunter-education staff and on cuts to nongame and other FWP programs.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MT, Montana","taxId",77694,"location","Montana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6624431,"Appropriations committee lowers planned highway patrol salary increase to 9% after market review",742,7203000,7945000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2766237-f41dc6262e4799bc91ef2fbc28af52d8&start=7203&end=7945","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2766237-f41dc6262e4799bc91ef2fbc28af52d8/thumbnail_7203000.jpg","/articles/6624431/Montana/Appropriations-committee-lowers-planned-highway-patrol-salary-increase-to-9-after-market-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624431-1eb64fc8684d40c1e480310f1c423c9a/orig.mp4?Expires=1776325176&Signature=lmNch~rW70hjAGr2~pMLB4Sd3qSyKQ1k5hPERrohCu5MTxAhcvpDbobNe7uUS7tBggznR7n2nWEBSsohzOdygYujWpNJuiGeH8Kl0UfickiHnuPKLjEWvbbUHkU7gflfL6x21BiZI8Enjq0Jv62H3dkbKiHo14fWsWF9SjQt9N-RYPRu4eKkZ2pRDZapaAWFR8UTHtBMPM5rpgLyELXRKvabGARPbvZ~YZXD3OikFF6fmms96~AkCHTgr4soLYhg80NSoN9oWzB1dLFQzdD6tgyKuXNyCl4~YhfDwl-CpB2GSsitdrnvmxcMvswnozj0Og2HdlvodfdzIg69cxol8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Appropriations Committee voted to adjust the salary‑survey increase for the Montana Highway Patrol from a proposed 14% to 9%, moving the entry-level pay for troopers closer to market data from municipal police departments.

Vice Chair Mercer offered a global amendment that replaced the 14% increase with a 9% increase after staff calculated the cost differences. Mercer said Yellowstone County’s recent entry-level increase effectively raised market pay by roughly 8.5%, and a 9% increase for the patrol would put the state roughly at market in most communities without topping every local agency’s pay. Committee staff presented updated fiscal figures showing the 9% alternative increased baseline compensation to an entry-level pay of about $73,231 for highway patrol positions; the fiscal change was incorporated into the HB2 amendment insert lines.

Representative Matthews, among others, opposed lowering the increase, arguing the highway patrol has been behind for years and a larger adjustment is warranted. Representative Mercer and several sponsors said the 9% change is a defensible compromise that avoids an outsized increase that could cascade to higher municipal and county pay scales.

The amendment passed on a roll-call vote of 12 yes to 11 no. Committee staff said companion language was being adjusted to ensure coordination with state special revenue proposals and any related bills.

Ending: The committee included the 9% increase in the amended HB2 and moved forward with other Section D items.

","Committee amended HB2 to reduce a proposed 14% highway patrol entry pay increase to 9%, citing market data and county entry pay adjustments; the amendment passed narrowly and will affect how the salary survey is funded in the bill.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6624434,"Appropriators fund contracted out‑of‑state prison placements and add K-9 teams; other DOC language changes also pass",0,8626000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2766237-f41dc6262e4799bc91ef2fbc28af52d8&start=8626&end=8626","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2766237-f41dc6262e4799bc91ef2fbc28af52d8/thumbnail_8626000.jpg","/articles/6624434/Montana/Appropriators-fund-contracted-outofstate-prison-placements-and-add-K-9-teams-other-DOC-language-changes-also-pass","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624434-25da236f5007f3a057a1bc483f80653e/orig.mp4?Expires=1776325176&Signature=FX7P6wHReRRzbTmr5c1lQ40UwBPGsEPmOuaqqg08p~F3c1PzzlLk~~-P9d9JIvxpE0vwAcqeXDSes5MJDHkk0DGGVNP0qejQ8OPGfxNM5NQAHbwnj7caoMES0~1GThPrCJnrxdUbGdvM0g44z54CaiEQ7vGjDyY3HJS6070QENv~w6SdzJOacSPJZgaclaEKw8oOISayQQM-3X0GV1GKvsaDY22al57xWIXF9-cl4GZtM7QFM0Zi64mpynx85eYn-lfaDMBmPpzBzn0NNAWkb-meEvPvpCN7RuoNWrq6gP-RsDarymXp6-xhZcotMMW513NtgG4fsLb-VoUvtt9gJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Appropriations Committee voted to include funding for contracted out-of-state prison placements and to add K-9 teams in the Department of Corrections (DOC) budget during executive action on House Bill 2, Section D.

Representative Fitzpatrick offered an amendment to provide general-fund authority to contract for 360 out-of-state secure placements; the sponsor said the state currently has roughly 600 inmates housed out of state and argued the amendment was needed to continue contracted placements into the next biennium. The committee approved that amendment after debate; supporters said the state must maintain placements while in-state capacity is expanded and reconfigured, and opponents described the outcome as an expensive but necessary stopgap.

The committee also approved a DOC request to add three additional K-9 teams and remove restricted language on that line item. Representative Nave, sponsor of the amendment, said working dogs are valuable “force multipliers” used primarily for contraband detection and could be deployed across facilities and on probation and parole work. The voice vote passed unanimously among those present.

Other DOC items moved by the committee included: removal of restricted intent language tied to prevailing-wage funding for a private contract facility (an amendment that passed after roll-call), and an amendment to make certain program appropriations biannual rather than single-year allocations. Some language changes were described by legislative staff as technical corrections tied to companion bills.

A separate DOC amendment reducing a $2.55 million correction in a juvenile assistance line item (requested by the department to reflect changed in-state housing decisions) passed 13–10 on roll call after the department said it planned to move more youth into Pine Hills and reduce out-of-state placements.

Ending: Committee members said they expect continued pressure on correctional capacity and signaled the budget will include a mix of stopgap out-of-state contracts and investments to expand in-state capacity in later bills.","Committee approved money to continue out‑of‑state secure placements and added K-9 teams; it also passed language and technical changes affecting prevailing-wage intent and program appropriations in the Department of Corrections budget.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6624439,"Committee rejects $1.5 million state match for Big Sky Passenger Rail planning",693,4061000,4754000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2766237-f41dc6262e4799bc91ef2fbc28af52d8&start=4061&end=4754","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2766237-f41dc6262e4799bc91ef2fbc28af52d8/thumbnail_4061000.jpg","/articles/6624439/Montana/Committee-rejects-15-million-state-match-for-Big-Sky-Passenger-Rail-planning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624439-2cedeaf2ae8d4dd62ff656965188fe90/orig.mp4?Expires=1776325176&Signature=ZhNZyBBRYVsgO0EnMeegNB5u1vmC8wPkzp7aLl2U3LDZ1HKhYnwJteYxMlNNV5YEZ5UwU829UNxC0zYKSGzfBBL7fZpQIjd84AzCak5iXot4AcGV81uT-SeFBFzm1C5JAEQdS3c0~5QMiwf3QHL5cIQG92HojRGgOzcl0P1u9lftVoUcMpRDv~7dCS03ciXvJyV1-cv8rEU68t2fbr1LfUeeE32Tz3h4tcZvOqPVne94TWVeKxdPbN0desV7Q~pMZasx3A9vs67SzT~1pponTNNEns1Q4ipb5XFo3ilxsrK6rKwMWpENfNX6ZRnr0pGek~gkbfDlVINk7gh-hzS0SQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Montana House Appropriations Committee rejected an amendment to provide $1.5 million in general fund matching money to the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority for planning and to unlock $13.5 million in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act funds earmarked for the project.

Representative Betsy Powers offered the amendment during executive action on House Bill 2 as an OTO general-fund match that she said would fund phase-two planning — route studies, connection points and stop development — for a proposed passenger rail line across southern Montana. Powers told the committee the authority already had a board and county participation and that the federal funds were contingent on a state match.

Opponents questioned whether passenger rail would deliver meaningful local economic benefits and whether state general fund dollars should be used to support construction or planning of a rail service on tracks owned and operated by private railroads. Representative Schellinger said passenger rail in the U.S. has historically been a “constant loser” financially and that Montana should be cautious. Several members called the proposal impractical and questioned prior county-level activity and the authority’s prior funding sources.

Representative Powers argued that communities along the southern route could gain tourism benefits if a stop allowed visitors to disembark, stay overnight and visit local businesses. She cited a brochure showing counties that had joined the rail authority and noted the federal funds were already earmarked but required a match.

On roll call, the amendment failed 10 yes, 13 no. Several committee members said the question of inspector funding for rail safety (addressed elsewhere) and other rail-related needs must be considered separately.

Ending: The committee completed Section C and moved on to Section D business.","An amendment to provide $1.5 million in general fund matching money for the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority failed on a voice and roll-call vote after lawmakers questioned feasibility and local economic benefit.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

House committee debates Fish, Wildlife & Parks funding for hunter education, nongame programs and genetics research

Appropriations committee lowers planned highway patrol salary increase to 9% after market review

Appropriators fund contracted out‑of‑state prison placements and add K-9 teams; other DOC language changes also pass

Committee rejects $1.5 million state match for Big Sky Passenger Rail planning