The Montana House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee on Saturday advanced three bills affecting hunting licenses, wildlife relocation and agency funding.

Representative Paul Fielder, sponsor of House Bill 817, told the committee the bill would let state Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) issue free special‑permit licenses for elk, deer and antelope to youths under 18 who have been diagnosed with a life‑threatening illness and recommended by a Montana charitable or nonprofit organization. "This bill basically explains everything in the title, and I'm happy to bring this bill today because I think it's a noncontroversial bill," Representative Paul Fielder said.

The bill would allow up to five special permit licenses per year and limit issuance to no more than one license per species in any single hunting district in a year. Licenses are one‑time, for a single hunting season, and require a physician's documentation of the youth's diagnosis. Hunting under the permit must occur within the license's conditions and in the company of an adult holding a Montana hunting license or a licensed Montana outfitter representing the recommending nonprofit; the nonprofit may assist with licensing and the hunt. The bill also allows FWP to waive hunter education requirements for qualifying youths and, under certain license terms, permit hunting from a vehicle while mentored by the licensed adult or outfitter.

Will Israel, executive director of Big Hearts Under the Big Sky, gave an on‑the‑record example of a beneficiary of similar work: "About a month ago for this family, this is, Ryker, Ryker Rush and his family. Ryker went on a trip, to get a, an elk. It was a shoulder season elk. It was wonderful. Ryker had a stage 3 brain tumor, and he's since fought through that," Israel said, urging the committee to support the bill.

Clayton Elliott of Trident Unlimited testified in opposition to the mechanism of free or reduced‑price licenses, citing past work to consolidate such programs and a concern about recurring exemptions that could erode license revenues. "My principled concern here is not that this individual free license program would be an egregious hit to the general license account... However, I really do appreciate Representative Konauer and the sponsor's suggestion of how could that sponsoring age or organization be able to offset the cost," Elliott said.

Representative Konauer and others asked whether the bill could include a voluntary donation or account to offset costs; Fielder said the bill was intended as a small pilot and that organizations could donate to cover license costs if they wished. The committee voted by voice and declared the motion unanimous; proxies for aye votes were recorded for several absent members. House Bill 817 will advance to the House floor.

The committee then considered House Bill 648 with amendment 1.2, which changes notice requirements for relocations of large predators. Parsons (committee staff) described the amendment as removing a 30‑day notice requirement and replacing it with a set of specific notification triggers: notice at finalization of any plan to move a large predator; notice for changes to a plan; notice within 24 hours of capture if the animal will be relocated to a different tribal or county location; and notice within 24 hours of relocation when the relocation site had prior commission approval for bear relocations.

Quentin Kujala, chief of conservation for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, appeared as an informational witness and told the committee the agency had not previously seen the amendment but would review it; after a brief read, Kujala said the agency could work with the language. Representative Manus and others said the amendment resolved operational concerns about animals sitting in traps for an extended 30‑day period and emphasized that collaring and releasing on site remained acceptable under the amendment. The committee approved the amendment and then the amended bill by voice vote; the chair said the result was unanimous. House Bill 648 will advance to the House floor.

Finally, the committee reconsidered House Bill 372, which had previously been reported out of committee but was re‑referred after a floor concern about a potential diversion of funds. Sponsors and staff described a new amendment intended to fix that diversion issue. Lena Havron, chief financial officer for FWP, told the committee she could "pinky promise" that the amendment solved the diversion concern. After adopting the amendment and then voting to pass the bill as twice amended, the committee recorded the action as unanimous. House Bill 372 will advance to the House floor.

Votes at a glance

- House Bill 817 (special permit licenses for youths with life‑threatening illnesses): Motion to do pass moved on the record; voice vote recorded as unanimous; proxies for aye votes were announced. Outcome: advanced to the House floor.

- House Bill 648 (notice rules for relocation of large predators), as amended (dot 1.2): Amendment adopted by voice vote; amended bill passed by voice vote with proxies announced. Outcome: advanced to the House floor.

- House Bill 372 (technical amendment to address a diversion of funds): Committee reconsidered earlier action, adopted an amendment to address the diversion, and passed the bill as twice amended. Outcome: advanced to the House floor.

The committee met for an executive action period after the hearings and adjourned later the same morning. Several members noted they wish to monitor implementation details as the bills move to the floor and, for HB 817, to consider an account or donation mechanism to offset any fiscal impact if the measure advances.