Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed House Bill 932, expanding how Montana allocates marijuana tax revenue for conservation projects.
Set to take effect July 1, the law broadens the scope of wildlife habitat protection and improvement to include private lands. That means 20% of total taxes from marijuana revenue will be used for conservation needs across the state. That shakes out to about $20 million for each two year budget cycle.
Previously, the roughly $10 million in annual funding supported only Habitat Montana initiatives, such as purchasing wildlife management areas and securing conservation easements and leases.
Under HB 932, those funds will be directed into a new “habitat legacy account” and divided among three areas: 75% will go to Habitat Montana and state water projects, 20% to the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program, and 5% to a new wildlife crossings fund aimed at reducing vehicle-animal collisions.
“Habitat, wildlife, access are not red issues or blue issues; they are red, white and blue issues,” said Montana Wildlife Federation Executive Director Frank Szollosi.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ken Walsh, R-Twin Bridges, passed with bipartisan support and has received praise from conservation groups including Wild Montana, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Montana chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers.
“There’s huge potential and huge need out there, and so we’re thrilled to see this money dedicated to these new programs,” said Wild Montana’s political and state policy director Noah Marion.
Eligible projects under HB 932 include invasive species control, fence modification, drought resiliency and helping with prescribed burns, open to landowners, tribal governments and conservation districts. One area getting a major highlight — wildlife crossings.
“It’s going to reduce collisions with automobiles,” Szollosi said, “Montana’s got one of the highest wildlife-human collision rates in the country. It’s one of the reasons our insurance bills, our car insurance bills are so high.”
However, the bill’s future could still be impacted by SB 537, which includes a clause taking precedence over HB 932 if both are enacted. Both measures passed with more than two-thirds of lawmakers’ support, the threshold required to override a gubernatorial veto.
HB 932 received bipartisan support through its time in the legislature. According to Szollis, it received support across all 56 counties in the state.
“You know, the Montana House, the Montana Senate and the governor get behind a project like this that is really, you know, about supporting and continuing the Montana outdoor way of life when this state is growing and changing in ways that makes a lot of folks a little bit nervous,” Marion said.
Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed House Bill 932, expanding how Montana allocates marijuana tax revenue for conservation projects.Set to take effect July 1, the la Read More
