**** 69th Legislature 2025 HB 134.1 - 1 - Authorized Print Version β HB 134 1 HOUSE BILL NO. 134 2 INTRODUCED BY C. COCHRAN 3 4 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: βAN ACT ALLOWING THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH, WILDLIFE, AND 5 PARKS TO OFFER FINANCIAL REWARDS AND REWARD PERMITS AS PART OF THE FISH, WILDLIFE, 6 AND PARKS CRIMESTOPPERS PROGRAM; AND AMENDING SECTION 87-5-605, MCA.β 7 8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: 9 10 Section 87-5-605, MCA, is amended to read: 11 "87-5-605. (1) The department shall: 12 (a) create, maintain, and promote a statewide fish, wildlife, and parks crimestoppers program in 13 order to assist law enforcement agencies in detecting and combating fish, wildlife, and parks-related crimes; 14 and 15 (b) consider the board's recommendations and take action on them. 16 (2) The department may: 17 (a) advise and assist in the creation and maintenance of local programs, including neighborhood 18 watch programs; 19 (b) encourage the channeling of information from state and local programs to law enforcement 20 agencies; 21 (c) foster the detection of fish, wildlife, and parks-related crimes by the public; 22 (d) encourage the public, through a reward program or otherwise, to provide information that 23 assists in the prosecution of fish, wildlife, and parks-related crimes; 24 (e) offer financial rewards, reward permits, or other incentives to the public; 25 (e)(f) promote state and local programs through the media; 26 (f)(g) accept gifts, grants, or donations for the furtherance of the program and spend these in 27 compliance with the conditions of the gifts, grants, or donations; and 28 (g)(h) adopt rules necessary to administer the provisions of this part." **** 69th Legislature 2025 HB 134.1 - 2 - Authorized Print Version β HB 134 1 - END -