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HB 855

Establish FWP wildlife highway crossings and accommodation account

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Katie Zolnikov

Montana establishes a dedicated account to fund wildlife highway crossing infrastructure, reducing vehicle-wildlife collisions and protecting animal migration routes.

Chapter Number Assigned
#revenue #state #appropriations #fish #statefinance
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Bill Summary · HB 855

Legislative bill overview

HB 855 establishes a dedicated account in Montana to fund wildlife highway crossing infrastructure and accommodations. The bill creates a mechanism to finance projects that reduce collisions between vehicles and wildlife by installing crossing structures like overpasses, underpasses, and fencing along state highways. Funds can be allocated to support these safety improvements across Montana's transportation network.

Why is this important

Wildlife-vehicle collisions cause thousands of deaths annually (both human and animal), create safety hazards for drivers, and disrupt wildlife migration patterns critical for ecosystem health. By creating a dedicated funding account, Montana establishes a structured approach to addressing this problem rather than relying on ad-hoc appropriations. This can lead to systematic improvements in high-collision areas and better long-term planning for wildlife corridor management.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost allocation: Questions about whether highway safety funds should be prioritized for wildlife crossings versus other road safety measures, and how much this will ultimately cost taxpayers
  • Effectiveness metrics: Unclear standards for measuring success or determining which crossing projects provide the best return on investment in terms of collision reduction
  • Implementation details: The bill's specificity regarding which highways receive priority, funding amounts, and maintenance responsibility for crossing structures may require clarification through regulation

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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