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Currently, tribal sovereignty gives only tribal fish and wildlife agencies the authority to issue big game hunting licenses and regulate hunting within reservation boundaries.
Under Senate Bill 72, an expanded water court would hear all water-related disputes including those that currently go to district court, and administer water commissioners.
The water debate is shaping up to focus on two pieces of legislation: One that would tackle the future of water courts and another that would update the water permitting process.
Determining who is first in time with water rights has been the duty of the Montana Water Court since 1979.
A state commission says it wants to take more time to finish its scoring process before deciding how to divide up $260 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding for upgrading broadband service.