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.
A Senate committee hearing on a bill that seeks to overhaul the Montana Water Court as the state tries to finish working through 50 years of water rights adjudication showed just how complicated water law is and how many people it affects.