SB 310 Montana Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Revise the trail stewardship grant program

SB 310 revises and renames the existing trails and recreational facilities grant program as the "Trail Stewardship Grant Program." It directly affects cities, counties, tribal governments, school districts, recreational clubs, and state and federal agencies by expanding the types of projects eligible for funding. New eligible projects include trail-related studies, data collection, safety education, and equipment purchases and maintenance. The bill also specifies that grant funds will be apportioned for motorized, nonmotorized, and mixed-use projects, and allows for advance payments of up to 75% of awarded grant funds.

Issues: ✓ Transportation

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

Apr 2025

Introduced Feb 12, 2025 Signed Apr 18, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB0310_2(10).pdf → SB0310_X.pdf · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the Trails and Recreational Facilities Grant Program to better balance funding between motorized and non-motorized users. It restructures how grant money is divided, allowing for a larger upfront payment to help projects start sooner, and clarifies rules for using leftover funds and administrative costs.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of eligible projects to explicitly include feasibility studies and economic impact studies, in addition to construction and maintenance.

FISCAL

Grant apportionment was restructured to allocate 40% to motorized projects, 40% to non-motorized projects, and 20% to projects serving both, replacing the previous allocation structure.

The maximum advance payment for grants was increased from 50% to 75% to allow for earlier project initiation.

Unused funds from one apportionment cycle can now be redirected to fund projects in a subsequent apportionment cycle.

SCOPE

New eligible project types were added, including feasibility and planning studies, economic impact studies, and safety and ethics education.

REQUIREMENT

A new provision allows grantees to use up to 7% of funds for administrative costs.

The timeline for unspent funds was clarified, requiring any funds not fully expended within 3 years to revert to the department.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 5, 2025 · House Apr 1, 2025

How they voted

32–17

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 50

Mar 5, 2025

D Democratic18

1 Yea 17 Nay

94% Nay

R Republican32

31 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 17, 2025

Signed into law

(S) Signed by Governor

upper

Apr 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

(H) Signed by Speaker

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) Signed by President

upper

Apr 1, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (99-0-1)

house

Mar 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

(H) Committee Report - (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks

lower

Mar 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (32-17-1)

senate

Mar 5, 2025

Committee

(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) Committee Report - (S) Fish and Game

upper

Feb 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Fish and Game

upper

Feb 25, 2025

Amended

(S) Tabled in Committee - (S) Fish and Game

upper

Feb 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Fish and Game

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Fish and Game

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Introduced

(S) Introduced

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors