Two of four bills of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks-supported “poacher's package” are stalled in the House Appropriations Committee after sailing through both legislative bodies earlier this session with very little opposition.
“Our concern is the two bills are being held up in committee,” said Dale Burk, a director of the Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association. “We've got to do something to get these moved out of committee in these waning days of the Legislature.”
“It appears to us that he's using them as leverage to get favorable votes on other legislation,” Burk said. “He's holding these bills ransom.”
In a short, one-sentence e-mail to the Missoulian, Sinrud said Thursday: “Please wait a few days to see the result. I believe that all parties will be pleased.”
The two bills are part of a package of four bills introduced by Sen. Larry Jent, D-Bozeman, aimed at addressing a growing trend of large commercial poaching operations cropping up around the state.
SB115 would require all money collected by the courts as restitution for illegally killing wildlife to be returned to FWP to pay for additional enforcement of organized wildlife poaching crimes and for hunter education.
Currently, only $60,000 of the nearly $300,000 collected each year goes back the department, said Jeff Darrah, a FWP warden captain. The remainder goes into the state's general fund.
“This legislation essentially makes poachers pay for the investigations we do to catch more poachers,” Darrah said.
The second bill would ensure that state game wardens are staffed at full force.
Under the current policy of vacancy savings, state agencies are staffed at 96 percent. So if a game warden quits or retires, FWP may have to leave that position open for six months or more until someone else leaves.
SB205 would eliminate state game wardens from that process.
“We're already spread very, very thin around the state,” Darrah said. “If this legislation passes, at least we wouldn't have to wait to begin looking for a replacement.”
Both pieces of legislation are supported by Missoula's Hellgate Hunters and Anglers Association and the Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association.
Tim Aldrich, a director of the Hellgate group, said both bills easily passed through committees and both the House and Senate before being stalled in the House Appropriations Committee.
“There hasn't been any larger partisan pattern to the previous votes,” Aldrich said. “These are very significant pieces of legislation that can make a difference in addressing an issue that affects every sportsman in the state. ... Up until now, they've been very much supported.
“The community needs to let these committee members know that they want this enacted,” he said.
Reporter Perry Backus can be reached at 523-5259 or at pbackus@missoulian.com
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