HB 451 revises how tax increment financing (TIF) is calculated for newly established targeted economic development districts and urban renewal areas. For districts created after the bill's effective date, it excludes several specific mill levies from the tax increment calculation. These exclusions include certain university system mills, a portion of elementary, high school, and state equalization mills, new voter-approved levies, and mills for general obligation bond debt service. This means that a larger share of the new property tax revenue generated in these areas would directly go to the affected taxing jurisdictions, rather than into the TIF fund.
HB 919 is an act designed to implement provisions of House Bill No. 2. It amends state law regarding the Board of Investments, which is responsible for managing public funds. The bill requires the Board of Investments to perform its duties within a restricted fiduciary fund type, subject to specific state law restrictions. This change aims to ensure that the board manages investments under stricter guidelines for the responsible handling of funds.
HB 334 sought to revise laws concerning disaster and emergency funding. The bill proposed to increase the statutory appropriation available to the Governor's office for declared emergencies from $16 million to $22 million per two-year period, effective July 1, 2025. It also would have allowed the Department of Military Affairs to use up to $3 million annually from this fund for disaster and emergency services activities, such as planning, training, and response, without a formal governor's declaration. Unspent funds at the end of each biennium would continue to be transferred to the fire suppression account.
House Bill 604, also known as the "Work Protection Act," aims to establish statewide uniformity by prohibiting local governments from creating or administering guaranteed income programs. The bill defines a guaranteed income program as one providing regular, unearned cash payments to individuals for any purpose, excluding programs requiring work or training. It prevents political subdivisions, such as counties and cities, from adopting related ordinances or rules. The Attorney General is authorized to issue cease and desist orders and pursue legal action against any local government that violates this prohibition.
HB 310 proposed establishing a state matching grant program to increase community shelter capacity for the homeless population. Administered by the Department of Public Health and Human Services, these grants would help local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations. The funds would specifically target services for senior citizens, veterans, survivors of domestic violence, youth transitioning from foster care, and individuals with mental health or substance use disorders. Applicants would be required to provide matching funds and collaborate with existing homelessness service providers. The bill appropriated $2 million from the general fund for the program, which was set to operate from July 2025 to June 2027.
HB 369 authorizes the creation of county road maintenance districts to maintain roads that were previously serviced by the county but owned by other entities. These districts can be formed when at least 66% of property owners in a proposed area petition the county commissioners. The districts are funded by assessing maintenance costs directly against the benefited properties within the district. The amount assessed by a district must then be subtracted from the county's general fund dedicated to road improvement or maintenance.
HB 429, titled the "Inflation Protection Act of 2025," proposed creating a new state special revenue account within the state special revenue fund. This account would be initially funded by a $50 million transfer from the state's general fund by July 15, 2025, with additional funding from future legislative transfers. The bill authorized the Board of Investments to invest the funds in this account in precious metals, digital assets, and stablecoins. Any proceeds generated from these investments would remain within the account, affecting the state's financial management and investment strategies.
HB 326, titled the "State Energy Resource Severance Act," would establish a new 10% tax on the sale price of electrical energy produced in the state. This tax would apply to electricity generated from sources such as water, wind, and solar, but specifically exempts coal-fired electrical generation. The bill also reduces the existing coal severance tax rate to match this new electrical energy production tax rate. Revenue from this new tax would be allocated to special accounts, primarily for local government infrastructure projects traditionally funded by coal.
HB 385 proposed establishing the School Mental Health Promotion Pilot Program, administered by the Office of Public Instruction. This program would have provided grants to Montana school districts to implement innovative, student-led, and locally determined initiatives aimed at improving student mental health. Districts applying for grants would have needed to demonstrate specific needs, broad community support in their application development, and plans for mental health promotion activities and program evaluation. The bill proposed annual grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 for a two-year period, with $250,000 appropriated annually from the general fund. The program was set to terminate on June 30, 2029.
The provided bill text, labeled as SB 536, does not match the requested bill number (HB 536) or title ("Prohibit employing aliens not lawfully authorized to accept employment").
Based on the provided text for SB 536, this bill revises the contractor's gross receipts tax. It creates an exemption for resident individuals and licensed businesses that are fully compliant with state income, payroll, and property tax obligations, requiring them to apply and be listed on the department's website. The bill also extends the carryforward period for related tax credits from 5 to 7 years and allows these credits to offset certain real property taxes. It applies to accrued credit carryforwards and has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.
