Committee debates amendment to limit sharing of recent wildlife GPS locations; equity and research uses at issue

Members of the House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee debated an amendment to House Bill 2-64 (amendment 264.1.0.1) that would clarify when Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) may share precise wildlife location data and telemetry information with research partners, other government agencies and entities under data-sharing agreements.

Representative Carlin, who moved the amendment, said the change would allow the department to share location data with research partners and other agencies such as the Department of Transportation under formal agreements that specify data elements and safeguards. Carlin said the amendment aimed to clarify sharing for collaborative conservation and infrastructure projects but that some committee members remained concerned about the risk of recent, exact GPS coordinates being used to target animals on private lands.

Representative Schubert voiced opposition to selective data-sharing carve-outs, arguing that freedom-of-information principles suggest…