MT SB186

Transfers water rights jurisdiction from Montana Water Court to local district courts on a basin-by-basin basis once final decrees are issued for each basin

Requires complete cessation of Water Court, water divisions, and water judges within 180 days after all final decrees are issued and appeals resolved

Establishes expedited procedures for district courts handling water cases, requiring venue determination and scheduling decisions within 5 business days of filing

Authorizes district courts to use judges pro tempore, special masters, and standing masters for water rights cases requiring specialized expertise

Applies retroactively to final decrees issued prior to the effective date, fulfilling the original 1979 intent that the Water Court be a temporary system for adjudicating pre-1973 water rights