HB 476 establishes a grant program to fund the installation and maintenance of newborn safety devices. The Department of Public Health and Human Services will award competitive grants, up to $20,000 per applicant, to eligible fire departments, hospitals, and law enforcement agencies. The department is also responsible for creating rules for the application process and evaluation criteria. The bill appropriates $160,000 from the general fund for this program, which is effective July 1, 2025, and terminates on June 30, 2027.
HB 337 revises Montana's income tax laws, affecting individual taxpayers and certain estates or trusts. The bill aims to lower income taxes by adjusting the state's tax brackets. It increases the amount of Montana taxable income taxed at lower rates and reduces the highest income tax rate. Additionally, the bill revises the tax rates and income thresholds applied to net long-term capital gains.
Senate Bill 495 eliminates the Tobacco Prevention Advisory Board. The bill repeals the specific section of law that established this board. It also amends existing statute to remove the board from the list of entities funded by state special revenue accounts, which are primarily used for tobacco disease prevention programs and the Children's Health Insurance Program. The direct effect is the dissolution of the advisory board, which previously provided guidance for these programs.
HB 89 amends Montana's property tax law to require taxpayers to file claims for disaster-related property tax relief within 2 years of a natural disaster destroying their property. This directly affects Montana homeowners and property owners who suffer damage from events like fires, floods, or earthquakes (including fires regardless of origin, unless arson is convicted). The key provision establishes a clear deadline for filing claims, replacing the previous lack of time limit, and clarifies how tax adjustments are calculated based on the days property existed before and after the disaster. The bill takes immediate effect upon the Governor's signature, which occurred on April 7, 2025.
HB 3 is a funding bill that allocates specific amounts to Montana state agencies for the 2024-2025 fiscal year and continues some funding into the 2025-2026 biennium. It provides $22.2 million to the Public Health and Human Services Division, $12.5 million to the State Public Defender's Conflict Division, $4.07 million to the Montana Highway Patrol, and other sums to agencies like Revenue, Corrections, and Fish and Wildlife. The bill directs these funds for existing agency operations, with unspent balances reverting to their respective funds. It became law immediately upon the governor's signature on April 7, 2025, without requiring additional legislative action. This is a routine budget measure affecting state agency operations, not a policy change impacting citizens.
HB 65 requires a one-time audit of the Montana State Bar Association by the legislative auditor, focusing on its funding sources, spending over the past decade, and operational costs. The judicial branch must cover the full audit cost, and the results must be submitted to legislative committees and posted online by December 15, 2026. The audit will examine how the bar uses public funds and aligns with its legal responsibilities. This bill directly affects the Montana State Bar and the judicial branch, mandating transparency in its financial operations without altering existing laws.
