Senate Judiciary hears hours-long debate over House Bill 676 on water rights, land sales and ending water court

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard more than two hours of testimony on House Bill 676, a wide-ranging bill that would (1) bar the state from asserting ownership of private water rights used on some state leases, (2) set a five‑year termination date for the Montana Water Court (an element the sponsor said he might accept striking), and (3) allow the sale of landlocked state trust parcels with proceeds directed toward property-tax relief for education.

The bill’s sponsor told the committee HB 676 would “disallow the board or the land board to seize any private water right that is being used on state land” and defended a proposal to sell “landlocked” parcels so proceeds could be invested for school funding. The sponsor said he would be “friendly” to amendments removing the water‑court termination but urged the committee to protect private lessees who invest in improvements on leased state land.

Supporters largely were ranching and landowner groups who said current practice discourages private investment on state leases. Jocelyn Cahill, testifying for the Senior Ag Water Rights Alliance and identifying herself as “a rancher in Broadwater County,” told the committee, “I urge you to support house bill 6 76 because it provides much needed clarity on state ownership of water rights.” Ross Morgan of the Rocky Mountain Stock Growers Association argued the state’s taking of water rights removes the incentive to…