Republican Rep. Jimmy Patelis of Billings announced May 23 on social media that he was resigning from the House to accept Gov. Greg Gianforte s appointment to the parole board, effective
Grizzly bears should be delisted from the Endangered Species Act in the entirety of the state of Montana and delisting should be exempt from judicial review, the Montana Legislature declared in a resolution passed Friday.
Senate Joint Resolution 18 brought by Sen. Bruce âButchâ Gillespie, R-Kevin, passed both chambers of the Legislature primarily along party lines with majority Republicans in support. Resolutions have no statutory effect, but lawmakers often pass them to indicate positions on federal policies, to commemorate historic events or support programs around the state.
The Legislature has passed resolutions in past sessions encouraging delisting of grizzly bears, which were listed as threatened in 1973. Management of the bears is one of the biggest wildlife issues facing the state as populations of the bruins continue to grow and ranges expand.