Representative Steve Daines Passes Bill That Looks to Protect Landowners, Conserve Habitat

Representative Steve Daines joined the House of Representatives Thursday to pass a stack of bills that hope to encourage charitable giving, including one co-sponsored by Daines. The Conservation Easement Incentive Act looks to make the tax deduction for charitable contributions permanent for individuals who have real property interests for conservation purposes.

"Rising property values and estate taxes make passing down working lands to future generations very, very difficult," Daines said. "In fact, in 2010 the Leep family, a family that has farmed in the Gallatin Valley, my home county, since 1926, faced the challenge of transferring a family farm to the next generation."

Daines said the America Gives More Act gives landowners the assurances they need to make long term estate planning decisions.

"Because of this incentive, the Leeps were able to donate land to the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, an organization that works on conserving working lands and other areas valuable for wildlife habitat, for outdoor recreation, and kept the land in production and their family's ownership," he said.

Daines says the easements allow private landowners to partner with conservation organizations to preserve millions of acres of valued lands nationwide.

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