"I served a pizza to KVD this weekend, and had a chance to talk to him about 309. He said he's very confident that they can put a stop to it in the senate. And he said if it came down to it, he has no doubt that Schweitzer would veto it. If it were to pass, he said it's unlikely that it would make rivers private in and of itself - but it would set the stage for landowners to take the issue to court on a case by case (river by river) basis and make their argument for privatization of a particular waterway."
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| HB 309 would make waters with irrigation equipment on them gray areas in the eyes of the stream access law. |
So, in my opinion, it just adds more gray to an already-gray law. Which is funny, since the bill is designed to "clarify". It'll make for more on-stream confrontations between land-owner and river-user, with no clear correct answer. Sheriffs will be called, and they will use their discretion on whether or not anglers can fish there.
Incidentally, Kendall Van Dyke is the man - visit his website here. I cannot vote for him, but I hope those who can, will continue to.
