Montana Bill Sparks Debate Over Water Rights and State Land Sale

The 2025 Montana Legislature is in session. Every day there are bills that are discussed that will shape our future as a state.

There are bills that are being presented that will affect many Montanans.

One of those bills is House Bill 676, a twenty-two page bill, introduced by Brandon Ler, who represents House District 33 and is the Speaker of the House from Savage, Montana. The bill proposes changes to state land and water laws.

According to CitizensPortal.ai, the key provisions of the bill would prohibit the state from seizing private water rights used on state land, eleminating Montana's Water Court within five years, and allowing the sale of landlocked state land.

Montana's Water Court was created in 1979 with the purpose of settling water rights disputes.

There are arguments on both sides of this bill. Proponents of the bill say it clarifies water rights in the state. Opponents of the bill are concerned about the sale of state-owned landlocked land.

According to Outdoor Life, using data from the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), there is 1.5 million acres of landlocked Montana land that could be sold with the passing of this bill.

If you want to see the mapping of Montana's Trust Lands from the DNRC you can see that here.

The bill has currently passed the House and has moved on to the Senate. You can track the bill's progress here.