SB 242 carried by Senator Webb of Billings, will be heard next Tuesday, February 26, 2019 in the Senate Fish and Game Committee. That bill would eliminate the current optional light motor vehicle registration fee for state parks, fishing access sites and Montana Heritage Commission (Virginia/Nevada Cites) and replace it with a windshield decal that would allow access to state parks. The first decal would cost $35 and subsequent decals purchased by that light motor vehicle owner would cost $20.

Montana had a windshield decal program in the 1990s through 2003 and it was very unpopular with the public and with the legislature. Approximately 1% of light motor vehicles displayed that decal. Thus arose the optional light motor vehicle registration fee for the aforementioned programs which has been very popular with the public (77% compliance).

The fiscal note says that the fiscal impact of SB 242 in FY 2021 would total a negative $3.7 million. Of that total, state parks would lose $3,227,470 while fishing access sites would lose $169,216 and the Montana Heritage Commission would lose $257,208.

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