HB 932 is a new public lands funding bill that passed the House on April 5, 2024, and now awaits a hearing in the Senate Fish and Game committee on April 15. HB 932 is an important bill that would be a positive step towards securing adequate levels of funding to protect Montana's wild places, working lands, and wildlife.

HB 932 revises the distribution of the marijuana state special revenue account to provide 20 percent to the newly created Habitat Legacy Account instead of directly to Habitat Montana. This bill will not impact the other distributions out of the marijuana account, and would secure permanent investments in public access to wildlife habitat, habitat conservation, and new investments in wildlife crossing structures and more money for more actions in Montana’s Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program.

Up to 75 percent of the funds collected each year will be transferred from the Habitat Legacy Account to the Land and Wildlife Stewardship account until that account contains $50 million. This is separate from Habitat Montana but must be spent in the same way: buy private lands or conservation easements to provide public access. Twenty percent is deposited in the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program account, and five percent goes into the Big Game and Wildlife Crossings account.

This is a win-win for all of the work we do: public access to public lands, healthy wildlife and the habitat they need to thrive, and the crossing structures that protect wildlife and motorists along transportation corridors.