FWP commission promises review after criticism

HELENA — Fish, Wildlife and Parks commissioners are pledging to take a new look at how they make rules for Montana fishermen and hunters after state lawmakers accused the commission of overstepping its authority.

Among the criticisms leveled is that the commission would make last-minute changes to a proposed regulation and then approve it without taking public comment.

The Legislature this session passed a bill that would have added strict rules to how the FWP makes its regulations.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer vetoed Senate Bill 255 late last month, saying it would have added expensive bureaucratic processes without any benefits.

But commissioners this week say they got the message. In a teleconference on Thursday, commissioners decided to use part of their June meeting to review their decision-making processes and address the criticism.?