Two Hundred Laws to Take Effect

Remember all those debates in the Legislature last Spring? Apparently there were plenty of arguments about forming new laws for Montana. We don’t either. But ready or not 200 new laws go into effect tomorrow.

We couldn’t tell you two things that needed new laws, let alone 200 situations that need new laws in the state. To be fair, many of the new laws make minor changes to law, repeal obsolete reports or boards and generally clean up state laws

According to State Attorney General Tim Fox, several of the new laws will help establish a base line to test suspected drivers who are under the influence of marijuana. Apparently a new threshold for the amount of THC in the blood was decided. Driving impaired, sex offenders

There are also laws that go into effect that relate to sex offenders – including making the losers that move to our state submit a DNA sample. Most of these laws are aimed at helping strengthen our state’s stance against sex offenders.

And one of the laws that goes into effect tomorrow is our states roadkill law. But before you start hunting with your 2004 Toyota Celica, remember you’ll actually need a permit to salvage a road kill carcass. And there are certain species that will be allowed to be harvested.

Believe it or not, The Fish and Wildlife Commission still need to meet and finalize how this new law will actually work – that meeting is scheduled for October 10, so you have a ten day window to claim ignorance.