... on how to proceed if HB309 is passed by the Senate and the proposed changes to the Montana Stream Access statute go into effect.

For those who are seriously interested in this subject, here is a link to a discussion of Montana's Initiative Process.

http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.ph...ess_in_Montana

As as relatively new resident in Montana, I am going out on something of a limb here, but I've done that before and survived.

Rather than fighting the bill as presented, it seems to me those representing the recreating public's interest should be cooperating with the sponsor and supporters of the bill to make its language as clear as possible on how limited these changes are intended to be.

If the sponsor and supporters don't want to cooperate, perhaps they could be inclined to do so by drawing out a very viable future course for this issue.

That future would include implementing Montana's Initiative Process during the next election cycle to either repeal the changes to the Stream Access Law as modified by HB309 or ennact a new law that restores Stream Access to what it is now, and perhaps broaden it.

In pursuing the Initiative Process, the need for the repeal of the changes or a new ennactment could be closely tied to each incumbent who is up for reelection during that cycle. So the consequences of sponsoring and supporting HB309 could have direct and immediate consequences in the election process.

It would also be well to use the Initiative Process to call for an Ammendment to the Montana Constitution. An appropriate ammendment would be that the State Legislature does not have the right to repeal or modify a Statute created through the Initiative Process. That kind of ammendment would almost certainly be approved by the voting public in Montana, by a wide margin. With that kind of ammendment to the State Constitution, and a Stream Access Law created by the Initiative Process, future Legislatures would not be able to change it.

There just happens to be some real discontent in Montana right now over the issue of the Legislature messing with a law created by the Initiative Process. Several years ago the Montana voting public put in a Medical Marijuana Bill. The current GOP controlled Legislature is trying to repeal that Law. Folks are a bit upset that the Legislature has the nerve to second guess the voters on what they want and have decided is good for them.

I suspect the furor over a Legislature trying to limit Montanans rights to recreational use of public waters under an Initiative Process created Stream Access Law would make anything going on in the current Legislative Session look like kindergarten in mid afternoon during nap time, with or without a Constitutional Ammendment prohibiting a Legislature from repealing or modifying a statute created by the Initiative Process.

John