SB 117 Montana Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Revise government entity limitations on property tax increases

SB 117 revises property tax laws for governmental entities, affecting how local governments in Montana calculate their property tax levies. It modifies the maximum allowable inflation-based increase for property tax levies and changes how revenue from newly taxable property is factored into these calculations. The bill also allows cities and counties to establish a "large taxpayer reserve account," requiring them to deposit a percentage of revenue from newly taxable property into it. These funds are restricted and can only be used for specific purposes, such as reducing future mill levies or attracting new industry, if a major taxpayer experiences a significant drop in value or ceases operations.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Jan 9, 2025 Signed May 13, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB0117_X(3).pdf SB0117_X(4).pdf · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended to clarify that local governments can create large taxpayer reserve accounts to pay for pre-existing capital project bonds or expenses before operations cease. It also updated the calculation for mill levies to specifically include newly taxable Class Four property and expanded the application of levies to include this newly taxable property, ensuring these properties contribute to the tax base.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include newly taxable property in both the creation of reserve accounts for debt service and the application of calculated mill levies.
FISCAL

Clarified that reserve accounts can be used to pay outstanding capital project bonds or expenses incurred before operations stop or taxable value decreases significantly.

Updated the mill levy calculation formula to explicitly include newly taxable Class Four property and the applicable amount from other property classes.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded the application of levies to include newly taxable property, ensuring it is subject to the same tax rates as existing property.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 28, 2025 · House Apr 16, 2025

How they voted

399
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 50
Mar 28, 2025
D Democratic18
7 Yea 9 Nay 2
50% Nay
R Republican32
32 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
46
Key actions
9
Committee
6
May 9, 2025
Signed into law
(S) Signed by Governor
upper
Apr 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Signed by Speaker
lower
Apr 23, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Signed by President
upper
Apr 16, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (67-31-2)
house
Apr 9, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Taxation
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Taxation
lower
Mar 29, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Taxation
lower
Mar 28, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (39-9-2)
senate
Mar 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Taxation
upper
Mar 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Taxation
upper
Jan 15, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Taxation
upper
Jan 9, 2025
Introduced
(S) Introduced
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Daniel Zolnikov
Daniel Zolnikov
RRepublican
MT
22