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Housekeeping bill would simplify game bird farm licensing, change multi-year fee structure
Summary
House Bill 105 would reduce administrative burden for game bird farm licenses and move to a longer permit period (five years) with an updated fee structure; the agency and conservation groups supported the housekeeping changes, and committee members pressed for clarity on prior and current fees.
Representative Elvis presented House Bill 105 as a simple housekeeping bill to "reduce the administration" related to game bird farms and urged the committee to pass the measure, noting it passed the House 98–2. Ben Lamb (Montana Conservation Society) and Phil Kilbreath (commercial wildlife program manager, Fish, Wildlife & Parks) testified in support, saying the bill will reduce paperwork and speed renewals.
During committee questions members asked about the GameBird license fee. The transcript materials list a $300 GameBird license; witnesses and the sponsor discussed the prior structure, noting earlier application and renewal amounts referenced in the hearing (committee members referenced a previous $50 annual figure and the sponsor described an earlier split between an application fee and a renewal). The sponsor and department explained that the current structure moves to a multi-year permit (five years) and that the statutory fee amounts replicate prior rule levels, but committee members expressed interest in confirming the fiscal details.
The sponsor closed by urging the committee to "do pass" HB 105. The hearing concluded with agency and stakeholder support and no formal committee vote recorded in the transcript.
