Montana bill would fine up to $500 a day for blocking county roads
HELENA — Landowners might think twice about slapping a locked gate on a county road if fines for doing so are substantially increased, a Great Falls legislator told a committee Thursday.
Democratic Rep. Tom Jacobson brought House Bill 295 before the House Judiciary Committee. The bill offers two changes to the law. The first allows counties to issue a permit, excluding a locked gate, for an encroachment upon a county road right-of-way, as may occur in the case of a structure. Secondly, HB295 increases the fine for failing to remove an encroachment from $10 per day to up to $500 per day.
What the bill aims to alleviate are cases where the public is locked out of using county roads, Jacobson said, and it gives judges discretion to fine offenders based upon the egregiousness of the offense.
The bill drew support from pro-access groups and the Montana Association of Counties.
Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/news/government-and-politics/bill-would-fine-up-to-a-day-for-blocking-county/article_d3b71fb3-2413-5695-9463-7220a7ac23e6.html