# Montana HB 96: Create a trapper apprentice program

Montana HB 96, Create a trapper apprentice program, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Paul Fielder (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-04-03 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB96-2025
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Montana HB 96
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Create a trapper apprentice program
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2024-12-16
- Last action: 2025-04-03, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Paul Fielder (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Fish
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 4 (262 yes, 36 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Landowners can name hunters for damage tags: benefit, low. In districts with unlimited license quotas, a landowner can name who gets a resident supplemental game‑damage license. The department must approve the issuance. The named hunter can be an apprentice certificate holder.
- Apprentice hunting and trapping with mentors: mixed, medium. The law lets people age 10 or older get an apprentice certificate for up to two license years. It allows you to buy and use hunting permits and Class C or C-2 trapping licenses while with a supervising mentor. Mentors must be 21 or older, licensed, and stay within sight and voice; minors need a rel…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Paul Fielder (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Tom McGillvray (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-17 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 43 | 6 |   |
| 2025-03-15 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 44 | 5 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | House | Do Pass | pass | 86 | 14 |   |
| 2025-01-29 | House | Do Pass | pass | 89 | 11 |   |

## Actions (24)

- 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)
- 2025-03-18: Returned from Enrolling (House)
- 2025-03-17: Sent to Enrolling (House)
- 2025-03-17: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-15: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: 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)
- 2025-01-24: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-01-24: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-01-23: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-01-10: Hearing (House)
- 2025-01-06: 1st Reading (House)
- 2024-12-20: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2024-12-16: Introduced (House)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-03-18: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=32749aa3-5181-439c-8e45-9e12aa653360)
- As Amended (Version 2), 2025-01-27: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=96841d0e-9875-44c3-b2df-ba3ea9918408)
- Introduced, 2024-12-16: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=e41a7d2b-1123-4ad3-aa24-a1f54cfa9ece)

## 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
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=32749aa3-5181-439c-8e45-9e12aa653360)
- [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=96841d0e-9875-44c3-b2df-ba3ea9918408)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=e41a7d2b-1123-4ad3-aa24-a1f54cfa9ece)

## 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-HB96-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).