Senate committee debates access pass for non‑ambulatory users; SB 533 initially fails and is tabled

Senate Fish and Game considered Senate Bill 533, “an act generally revising laws related to recreational trail and road access” that would create a non‑ambulatory motorized recreation pass, require the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) to categorize public trails and establish a special revenue account for pass receipts. Speaker 9 summarized the bill as providing definitions for class 1–3 trails and giving FWP rule‑making authority.

Committee members raised fiscal and implementation concerns. One senator asked whether FWP would be expected “to mark every trail in the state,” calling the workload and funding unclear. Another member noted questions in the bill’s fiscal note and called for staff to verify whether related costs had been previously estimated. A supporter framed the bill as expanding outdoor access for Montanans with disabilities, calling it “a good bill” that offers accommodation options.

After discussion, a do‑pass motion was moved. The committee conducted a roll call and the chair announced the outcome as five voting yes and six voting no; the chair then declared the bill failed. The committee subsequently voted to table SB 533, and the chair recorded the motion to table as adopted and SB 533 “tabled” for further consideration. The committee said the record will include votes cast by proxy but noted unresolved questions about whether some proxies counted pending verification.

Next steps: SB 533 is tabled; the committee recorded concerns about funding and operational burdens on FWP and indicated staff would be asked to review the fiscal material and implementation details before resuming consideration.