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House Natural Resources committee amends and advances several bills; HB 368 and HB 441 pass, HB 481 tabled
Summary
In executive action the committee adopted an amendment and passed HB 368 (Colstrip water supply mitigation account) and passed HB 441 (provisional water rights alignment); an amendment to HB 481 passed on roll call but the full bill resulted in a 7–7 tie and was then tabled by voice vote with proxies.
During executive action the House Natural Resources Committee considered multiple bills. Key outcomes recorded in the transcript:
- HB 368: An amendment creating a Colstrip mitigation account funded by a coal severance allocation (the draft lists a $2 million transfer in the bill text) was moved and adopted. The committee then voted (voice/proxies) to pass HB 368 once amended; the bill will move to the House floor. Several members praised the negotiated settlement among stakeholders that produced the amendment.
- HB 441: Staff summarized the bill as aligning provisional water rights to final decrees and ordering a verification and petition process; the sponsor described it as the result of 18 months of stakeholder work. The committee moved and passed HB 441 by voice vote, with proxy ayes recorded.
- HB 481: The committee considered an amendment that would remove the Board of Oil and Gas Conservation from a requirement to post guidance; that amendment passed on roll call (8–6). When the amended bill was put forward for passage, the roll call vote was tied (7–7). Members then moved to table HB 481; the motion to table carried by voice vote with proxy votes noted, and the bill was placed back in committee for future consideration.
These executive actions included a mix of unanimous voice votes, roll‑call votes on the HB 481 amendment, and proxy votes as recorded in committee comments. Where precise roll‑call tallies were recorded in the transcript (HB 481 amendment; final HB 481 vote tie), those are reported here; several other items passed by voice vote and proxies were noted.
