Senior nonresident Montanans getting raw deal from state

Dear Montana, I am being discriminated against! 

Senior nonresident native-born Montanans, like me, are excluded from buying reduced hunting and fishing licenses! I have exactly the same qualifications as my younger counterparts — except my parents are dead! This injustice will continue beyond 2015 in Montana — if someone does not stand up!

In 2012, Montana established a Nonresident Montana Native Hunting License Program allowing native Montanans to obtain hunting licenses at reduced prices. It is now titled “Nonresident Relative of a Resident.” The problem is that senior nonresident natives like me are excluded because our parents are deceased. I’m almost 74-years-old and was born and raised in Butte. My dad, who would be 103, and Mom, who would be 98, are still in Montana — except they are dead, along with my grandparents and great-grandparents. They were long-time continuous residents of Montana. I still have many aunts, uncles and cousins residing in the state as well.

I have worked with legislators to resolve this issue, not for a “cheaper license” but for the principle that seniors like me are discriminated against. In the 2013 session, Sen. Chas Vincent from Libby proposed SB381 using the “spirit” of the current Nonresident Montana Native Hunting License to include nonresident natives whose immediate family members are “deceased” — an obvious omission/oversight in the original bill. 

SB381 passed the full Senate but was tabled by the House since a comprehensive “interim study” was to be conducted in 2014 to review all hunting and fishing regs and the funding basis for Fish, Wildlife and Parks resulting in the 2015 bill HB140. It sets the fees for nonresident native license fees at one-half the cost of other nonresident licenses.

Consequently, I submitted a simple fix to the “definition” of “relative of a resident” to the Environmental Quality Council and the Fish and Game Advisory Council to eliminate the discrimination of seniors. The law was proposed to be changed to define “nonresident relative of a resident” to mean a person born in Montana who is the natural or adoptive child, sibling, or parent of a “living or deceased” resident but is not a resident. 

Another way to do this is to simply verify your Montana birth certificate — period — and get rid of all of the paperwork for Fish, Wildlife and Parks. 

These fixes are easy, fair and will protect Montana from adverse publicity/liability. It is hard to understand why it is so difficult to pass something so fair and simple. If Montana is going to have a regulation like this, then it must be applied fairly to all natives, not just for the young but also for the old. Almost every Montanan with whom I have discussed this subject has been amazed by this situation and has immediately said, “Well, that’s unfair!”

Time is running out! An amendment to fix this problem in the Senate Fish and Game Committee did not pass, and the House has already passed the bill without the fix. Unless the full Senate accepts an amendment fix from the floor, the only hope will be the governor. Hopefully, fair-minded Montanans will speak up!

 Nonresident Montana natives are very loyal to Montana and support their home state. Many live out of state not because they wanted to but because it has been difficult to find work in the state. It is important that the “love for Montana” continues with nonresident senior natives since they play an important role in the well-being, friend and family ties, traditions, and economy of the state. 

However, if this is not fixed, there will continue to be bad feelings among senior nonresident native Montanans. During my 50th class reunion in Butte last year, one of my friends told me that he would no longer hunt in Montana. 

It’s the “principle of the the thing”, he said. “They (Fish and Game) will not get another dime out of me!” This means that Montana not only loses the hunting fees but also the lodging, groceries, gasoline and restaurant dollars!

I have been loyal to Montana for all my life. My wife laughs at my response to the question, “Where are you from?” and I proudly reply, “I live in Seattle, but I’m from Montana.” I have been a huge promoter of Montana; however, Montana may no longer be loyal to me. Maybe Montana simply doesn’t care!

Sutey, a native of Butte, is a resident of Newcastle, Wash.