Confirm governor's appointees for the board of outfitters
Summary
SR 17 is a Senate resolution that confirms five gubernatorial appointments to the Montana Board of Outfitters. The resolution lists the appointees, their hometowns, and the end dates of their terms: Ernest Barker, Chris Gentry, Matthew Greemore, Wagner Harmon, and John Way. By adopting the resolution, the Senate gives its formal consent to these appointments under Montana law.
The measure does not create new policy or change the substantive duties of the Board of Outfitters. Instead, it completes the statutory appointment process for a regulatory board that oversees outfitting and related licensing matters in Montana. The resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit the approved resolution to the Secretary of State and the Governor, as required by law.
Impact
SR 17 affects Montana’s appointment and confirmation process under sections 5-5-302 and 5-5-303, MCA, and the board-structure provisions in section 2-15-1773, MCA. Its practical effect is to seat the named members on the Board of Outfitters for their respective terms, allowing the board to continue carrying out its regulatory and advisory functions for the outfitting industry, including oversight of outfitters and related professional standards.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad support and little controversy. The resolution was adopted unanimously in the Senate Fish and Game committee and then passed the full Senate by a wide margin, indicating general agreement with the governor’s nominees and the need to fill or continue board seats. No committee transcripts are available showing substantive debate or opposition.
Contention
There is no recorded committee discussion or detailed floor debate in the provided materials, so no specific policy dispute is evident. Any potential contention would likely have centered on the qualifications, regional representation, or industry perspective of the appointees to the Board of Outfitters, but the strong vote totals indicate that such concerns were not significant enough to block confirmation.