Action Alerts - Montana

MARCH 31st, 2021 – IMMEDIATELY

MONTANA RESIDENTS ONLY

OPPOSE HB (House Bill) 677 

HB677, a bill to prohibit certain nonprofits from purchasing agricultural land, was heard in the House Agriculture Committee on Tuesday, March 30. The bill sponsor is very clearly targeting one nonprofit, and in the process other nonprofits will be impacted in the fallout. The House Ag Committee members are listed below. Please reach out to them to let them know you oppose HB677.

Here are a few talking points: 

  1. HB677 discriminates against nonprofits across the board. Although it carves out some exceptions – generally most nonprofits would be unable to purchase land under this statute. So not only are nonprofits being treated differently than for-profit, they are being treated differently than one another in being prohibited from purchasing agricultural land.

  2. We oppose government telling ag producers/ranchers/farmers who they can sell their land to. 

  3. If a donor offered - as part of a donation - to sell a nonprofit a piece of ag land at a bargain basement price, the nonprofit would not be able to take advantage of it. This potentially impacts every nonprofit that isn't specifically carved out in the bill, but especially those that have a planned giving mechanism of some sort. 

  4. Although the bill prohibits “purchasing” in the title, Section 7 uses the word “acquisition”, which could mean purchase or acquire through a donation. 

  5. This bill won’t solve the problem. If a nonprofit can’t outright purchase land, what is to prevent a donor from purchasing it and gifting it the nonprofit? Are prohibitions against gifts the next iteration?

  6. This particular bill is centered around a highly emotional situation with strong feelings on all sides. But the fact is, no matter what you or anyone else feels or thinks about a particular nonprofit, all nonprofits are treated with equity under the law.  It’s a slippery and probably unconstitutional approach to do otherwise. 

  7. Types of nonprofits that would be impacted: 

  • Trails/Streams organizations that own land

  • Land Trusts

  • Nonprofit camps such as Make-a-Wish, Boy Scouts, etc. 

  • Wounded Warriors with rural fishing lodges or other nonprofit retreat spaces

  • Animal Shelters that choose to purchase land out of town

  • Affordable Housing (Low Income Housing is carved out)

Please join us in letting the Committee know there is strong opposition. 

NOTE: There will be an upcoming hearing (most likely next Tuesday) where you can speak in person or virtually via Zoom. As soon as it is scheduled, we will update you. 

Joshua Kassmier  (R) HD 27 Chair

Julie Dooling  (R) HD 70 Vice Chair

Andrea Olsen  (D) HD 100 Vice Chair

Fred Anderson  (R) HD 20 Member

Becky Beard  (R) HD 80 Member

Michele Binkley  (R) HD 85 Member

Willis Curdy  (D) HD 98 Member

Moffie Funk  (D) HD 82 Member

Casey Knudsen  (R) HD 33 Member

Brandon Ler  (R) HD 35 Member

Marty Malone  (R) HD 59 Member

Ron Marshall  (R) HD 87 Member

Wendy McKamey  (R) HD 19 Member

Frank Smith  (D) HD 31 Member

Katie Sullivan  (D) HD 89 Member

Kenneth Walsh  (R) HD 71 Member

Rynalea Whiteman Pena  (D) HD 41 Member

MARCH 30TH, 2021 – IMMEDIATELY

HB (House Bill) 224 allowing the snaring of wolves and HB (House Bill) 225 extending wolf trapping season have both moved to the Governor's office to be signed into law. Contact the Governor now and tell him to veto these bills!

MONTANA RESIDENTS AND NON-RESIDENTS

Call: 406.444.3111

Email: Governor@mt.gov  /  https://svc.mt.gov/gov/contact/shareopinion

     Subject Line: NO to HB224 and HB225

     Keep it brief and in your own words.

     A simple, “I urge you to veto HB 224 and HB 225.” Thank you, Your name. State your town if 
    you live in Montana.

APRIL 13TH, 9:00AM MOUNTAIN TIME

House Bill 367 proposing a Montana Constitutional Amendment to Make Trapping, Hunting, and Fishing a heritage RIGHT and the PREFERRED method to Manage Wildlife

What this means – a multitude of methods used to kill wolves including trapping and snaring (catching and choking animals to death) will be a Constitutional right, never allowed to be challenged again.

HB 367 passed the House of Representatives this past week and will next be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

MONTANA RESIDENTS ONLY

ATTEND THE HEARING LIVE OR VIRTUALLY: APRIL 13TH, 9:00AM MT

NOTE:  You must register to speak 4 days in advance to speak!

For a step-by-step guide on how to register to speak at the hearing against HB367, click HERE.

Remember you can just state your name, what town you live in if you live in Montana and ask them not to pass HB 367.

NON-RESIDENTS

Click HERE for things you can do NOW for wolves in Montana.

MONTANA CONSTITUENTS ONLY

ATTEND THE HEARING LIVE OR VIRTUALLY: MARCH 16, 2021, 3:00pm MT (Mountain Time)
NOTE: You must register by noon MT March 15, 2021 in order to attend!

  • House of Representatives Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee Hearing on two anti-wolf bills:

  • Chairman: Fitzgerald, R.

  • Room 172

SB (Senate Bill) 267

Sponsor: Brown, B This bill is to be able to authorize reimbursement for wolf trapping and hunting. Click HERE for details and talking points for your statement.

SB (Senate Bill) 314

Sponsor: Brown, B This bill will allow legislation to revise laws related to wolf "harvest" (killing). Click HERE for details and talking points for your statement.

And remember, you can just say your name, town you live in in Montana, and that you oppose these two bills.