by Kristen Inbody, Great Falls Tribune
Helena – The Montana House voted 60-40 to pass a bill that would require county commissioners to approve transfer of bison into their counties.
Bison that got loose in Malta caused damage and “that could happen anywhere,” said Rep Mike Lang, R-Malta, who carried the bill.
“The people who elected us are the people who elected them,” Lang said of county commissioners. “The mission of county commissioners is to protect the health and safety of their communities.”
Senate Bill 284, sponsored by Sen. John Brenden, R-Scobey, would only allow wild bison to be transplanted if they are certified brucellosis-free, not a threat to “public health, safety and welfare” and importation is consistent with growth policies.
Lang said bison hearings were enlightening, with groups aiming for bison in several Montana counties.
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Source: Great Falls Tribune
