# Montana HB 74: Revising private fish pond and commercial take laws Montana HB 74, Revising private fish pond and commercial take laws, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Ken Walsh (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-04-03 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB74-2025 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Montana HB 74 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revising private fish pond and commercial take laws - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2024-12-12 - Last action: 2025-04-03, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Ken Walsh (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Fish, Water, Revenue, State, Rule Making - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 4 (213 yes, 86 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Harvest and egg rights for licensed ponds: benefit, low. If you hold a pond license, you may take fish from your pond in any manner allowed by your license. As the licensed pond owner, you may collect fish eggs or spawn from your pond for sale. With a department permit, you may take eggs for use in a licensed private pond. The department may sell excess… - Higher fees and bond for pond sellers: cost, high. You pay $600 to apply and $250 to renew each pond license. Before selling fish, eggs, or fry, you must post a $2,500 corporate surety bond. If you sell, you must keep detailed records and file an annual report by January 31. Seller licenses renew every year and expire on February 28 of the year aft… - New license and stocking rules for ponds: cost, medium. The law requires anyone who owns or controls a private fish pond to get a license. A private pond is 500 surface acres or less and must not put nearby waters at risk. Your application must include pond design and operations, proof of water right, and lawful fish sources. Licenses last 10 years. The… - Pond license renewals, transfers, and revocations: mixed, medium. When ownership or control changes, the new owner must apply for a transfer and get department approval before operating. The transfer fee is $250. You must file renewals before a license expires. The department can deny only for documented, new risks since the original permit, and must give reasons… - New wildlife possession and sale rules: mixed, low. You may possess, ship, transport, and sell captive‑reared migratory waterfowl. You may possess salvaged antelope, deer, elk, or moose as allowed under 87‑3‑145. The special exception for paddlefish roe as caviar is removed. The old statute on sale of fish or spawn is repealed, so sales must follow… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Ken Walsh (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Denley Loge (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-18 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 30 | 19 | | | 2025-03-17 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 29 | 21 | | | 2025-01-30 | House | Do Pass | pass | 78 | 22 | | | 2025-01-29 | House | Do Pass | pass | 76 | 24 | | ## Actions (31) - 2025-04-03: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-04-03: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-03-25: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-03-24: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-03-21: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-03-19: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-03-18: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-03-18: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-17: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-21: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Revised Fiscal Note Printed (House) - 2025-02-17: Revised Fiscal Note Signed (House) - 2025-02-17: Revised Fiscal Note Received (House) - 2025-02-11: Revised Fiscal Note Requested (House) - 2025-02-05: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-02-04: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-01-31: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-01-30: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-01-29: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-01-20: Committee Report (House) - 2025-01-17: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-01-09: Fiscal Note Printed (House) - 2025-01-08: Hearing (House) - 2025-01-08: Fiscal Note Signed (House) - 2025-01-07: Fiscal Note Received (House) - 2025-01-06: 1st Reading (House) - 2024-12-20: Referred to Committee (House) - 2024-12-18: Fiscal Note Requested (House) - 2024-12-12: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - As Amended (Version 3), 2025-03-19: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=678f2e24-1d97-49b2-966e-75e1abd99c62) - Enrolled, 2025-03-19: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1b66afcf-d0f1-4454-8f21-aefe3748dff5) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-01-20: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=379413a3-fbeb-4e30-a0db-363551fff763) - Introduced, 2024-12-12: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=6adafd9e-04a3-45d0-9604-c7de9a451260) ## Related bills - SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law (signed) - HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit (vetoed) - HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws (vetoed) - SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act (vetoed) - SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed) - SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed) ## Sources - [As Amended (Version 3) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=678f2e24-1d97-49b2-966e-75e1abd99c62) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1b66afcf-d0f1-4454-8f21-aefe3748dff5) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=379413a3-fbeb-4e30-a0db-363551fff763) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=6adafd9e-04a3-45d0-9604-c7de9a451260) ## Related - [SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB437-2025) - [HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB831-2025) - [HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB628-2025) - [SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB410-2025) - [SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025) - [SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025) - [Montana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana/bills) - [Montana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB74-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).