Montana Title 81. Livestock § 81-7-305. Duty of county commissioners--petition of sheep owners--license fees

(1) In conducting a predatory animal control program, the board of county commissioners shall give preference to recommendations for a program made by organized associations of sheep growers in the county. Upon petition of the resident owners of at least 51% of the sheep in the county, as shown by the assessment rolls of the last preceding assessment, the board shall establish the predatory animal control program and issue licenses and collect fees for the following year in an amount that will defray the cost of administering the program. The petition must be filed with the board on or before the first Monday in December in any year, and a signature on a petition may not be withdrawn by the signer after the hour set for hearing the petition. The license fee determined and set by the board must remain in effect from year to year without change, unless there is filed with the board a petition subscribed by the resident owners of at least 51% of the sheep in the county, as shown by the assessment rolls of the last assessment preceding the filing of the petition, for termination of the program and repeal of the license fee. Upon the filing of the petition, the board shall terminate the program and cease levying the license fee.

(2) If the resident owners of at least 51% of the sheep in the county either petition for an increase in the license fee or petition for a decrease in the license fee then in effect, the board shall set a new license fee to continue from year to year.