This bill creates a Montana income tax credit for unpaid health care preceptors who supervise students in eligible graduate-level health care training programs. The credit provides up to $1,000 per clinical rotation, with a maximum of $5,000 annually, but only applies to individuals who do not receive any compensation for their preceptor work. Eligible programs include those training nurses, doctors, pharmacists, therapists, and other health professionals, while preceptors must be licensed in Montana and volunteer their time. The bill also establishes administrative rules for verifying clinical hours and adds this new credit to a list of tax credits that must be reviewed by the revenue interim committee every eight years.
This bill consolidates two existing Montana state special revenue accounts related to school facilities funding and adjusts how coal severance tax money is distributed among various funds. It increases the amount of state aid available for major school maintenance projects without raising property taxes and updates rules for how earnings from these funds are transferred to support education and conservation programs. The legislation also revises statutes governing the state school technology payment and removes outdated language regarding the natural resource development payment, allowing it to support major maintenance aid and debt service assistance. These changes aim to streamline funding mechanisms and prioritize school facility programs while maintaining financial oversight through quarterly and monthly transfer schedules.
This bill reinstates former employer contribution rates for four specific Montana retirement systems: the Judges' Retirement System, Highway Patrol Officers' Retirement System, Sheriffs' Retirement System, and Game Wardens and Peace Officers' Retirement System. It directly affects state agencies and employees participating in these retirement plans by restoring their previous funding levels. The legislation amends multiple sections of the Montana Code Annotated to authorize these contributions and includes provisions for necessary appropriations to fund the changes. The bill also establishes an effective date and a retroactive applicability date for the reinstated contribution rates.
This bill amends Montana's property tax code to adjust the tax rate for Class Four residential and commercial properties. It directly affects homeowners, businesses, and property owners whose real estate falls under this classification. The key change is a revision of the tax rate from 1.35% to 0.76% on market value for most residential properties, with higher rates applied to properties exceeding $1.5 million in value. Commercial property will be taxed at a rate of 1.35% of market value, while golf courses remain taxed at half the commercial rate. The legislation applies immediately upon passage and includes retroactive application to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.
This bill creates a new program that allows hunters in Montana to voluntarily donate an additional dollar or more when purchasing hunting licenses to support disabled bowhunters. The funds collected through these donations will be deposited into a dedicated state account and used to purchase modified archery equipment for hunters who have permits allowing equipment modifications. The Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks department will establish rules to manage the donation process and oversee how nonprofit organizations distribute the equipment to eligible hunters. This legislation amends existing state statutes to formally establish the program and its funding mechanism within the state's special revenue fund system.
This bill amends Montana's property tax classification system to update how data centers are categorized and taxed. It extends the construction timeline for data center property from 15 years to 25 years and revises ownership requirements for qualifying facilities. The legislation also clarifies definitions for electrical generation facilities and telecommunications infrastructure, ensuring these assets are properly classified under existing tax rules. Additionally, it maintains the current 5-year tax exemption for fiber optic and coaxial cable while requiring reinvestment of tax savings into new infrastructure to preserve the benefit.
This bill changes how property taxes are assessed for lands owned by Montana's Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, requiring these lands to be taxed like private property rather than exempt from taxation. The legislation amends existing state laws to ensure that when the department purchases land for conservation or recreation purposes, it becomes subject to standard property assessment procedures used for private citizens. While maintaining existing tax exemptions for other government entities, the bill specifically targets the department's land holdings to align them with general property taxation rules. The changes apply immediately and retroactively to lands already owned by the department.
This bill revises Montana's trail stewardship grant program to provide funding for trail construction, maintenance, and related facilities. It allows cities, counties, tribal governments, schools, clubs, and state or federal agencies to apply for grants covering new trails, shared-use paths, trailside amenities like bathrooms and parking, and equipment purchases. The program allocates 40% of funds to motorized projects, 40% to nonmotorized projects, and 20% to mixed-use projects, while permitting up to 50% advance payments to help recipients purchase supplies early. The bill also authorizes grantees to use up to 7% of funds for administrative costs and requires unused funds to be returned to the state within three years.
This bill creates an informal review process for property tax disputes involving Class 4 residential property at the Montana Tax Appeal Board. It allows homeowners to choose a streamlined hearing option that is simpler and faster than the standard formal appeal process. Under this new option, the board's decision would be final and binding without the possibility of further appeal to district court. The bill also clarifies how the board should handle independent appraisals submitted by taxpayers, particularly for residential properties where such appraisals are presumed correct unless the state provides sufficient evidence to the contrary.
This bill revises Montana's individual income tax structure by lowering the top marginal tax rate from 5.9% to 4.9% for all filing categories, including married couples, heads of household, and single filers. It also reduces the tax rate on net long-term capital gains from 4.1% to 3.9% across all income brackets and filing statuses. The changes directly affect Montana taxpayers who file state income tax returns, with the new rates applying to taxable income exceeding specific thresholds that vary by filing status.
