This bill restructures how Montana allocates marijuana tax revenue, directing funds toward prevention services, law enforcement operations, and local grants rather than general state budgets. It establishes a Marijuana Tax Revenue Accountability Council composed of state agency representatives, behavioral health professionals, and public members to oversee how the money is spent on substance misuse prevention and youth suicide prevention programs. The council will meet quarterly to advise the Department of Public Health and Human Services on grant distributions and prepare an annual impact report, while the state must fund prevention programs through contracts with external service providers.
This bill allocates state general fund money to reimburse costs associated with enforcing felony criminal jurisdiction on the Flathead Indian Reservation. The funding will be directed through the Office of Budget and Program Planning to cover expenditures related to law enforcement activities on the reservation. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2025, and applies specifically to the enforcement of felony-level crimes under the state's jurisdiction on that specific reservation.
This bill updates the employer contribution rates for three Montana law enforcement retirement systems: the Highway Patrol Officers' Retirement System, the Sheriffs' Retirement System, and the Game Wardens' and Peace Officers' Retirement System. It establishes a minimum contribution rate of 38.33% for state employees and 13.115% for local employers, ensuring rates cannot fall below these amounts. The legislation also sets limits on annual rate changes, allowing increases or decreases of no more than 0.5% per year, and outlines how contributions should be calculated to cover legacy unfunded liabilities, contemporary unfunded liabilities, and normal costs of benefits as they accrue.
This bill allocates $2.5 million in state funds for each of the fiscal years 2025 and 2026 to reimburse Lake County for costs associated with assuming felony criminal jurisdiction over federally recognized tribes and the Flathead Indian reservation. The money is directed to the Department of Justice and is intended to serve as ongoing base funding for as long as the state maintains this jurisdiction under Public Law 280. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2025, and establishes a financial mechanism to support the county's law enforcement responsibilities in this area.
This bill modifies Montana's property tax and school funding laws to lower property taxes while maintaining the current 95 school equalization mills. It establishes fixed amounts for state and county school equalization mills and vocational-technical education mills, and exempts school levies from certain tax rate limitations. The legislation also increases guaranteed tax base multipliers for 2026, adjusts reimbursement rates for school transportation, and requires the Department of Revenue and Office of Public Instruction to report on how property reappraisals affect school funding. Additionally, it updates reappraisal schedules for certain property classes and mandates that taxpayers receive information about property tax trends in annual notices.
This bill creates a state program to provide replacement funding to Montana school districts that choose to eliminate reduced-price copayments for school lunches and breakfasts. It directly affects families eligible for reduced-price meals under federal programs and school districts administering those meals. The state will distribute up to $600,000 annually from the general fund to cover the costs districts incur when removing these fees from eligible students. The bill also allows the state superintendent to accept private donations and request additional funding if the initial appropriation is insufficient, with the program becoming effective on July 1, 2025.
This bill amends Montana's state bonding laws to allow municipalities and counties to issue bonds for broadband infrastructure projects. It directly affects local governments and internet service providers by expanding the legal definition of eligible "projects" to include facilities that provide broadband service with speeds of at least 100 megabits per second for downloads, 20 megabits per second for uploads, and latency under 100 milliseconds. The key provision adds a new category to the existing list of projects that qualify for state bonding authority, enabling these entities to finance broadband expansion through debt instruments. This change does not allocate specific funding but rather removes a legal barrier that previously prevented local governments from using bond financing for broadband development.
This bill requires student scholarship organizations in Montana to obtain annual certification from the Department of Revenue before accepting tax-credit donations. The law establishes specific financial requirements, mandating that at least 90% of donation revenue be used for scholarships and that funds be distributed within three years. Organizations must also ensure scholarships remain available to any qualified education provider without restriction. The Department of Revenue must review applications within 60 days and may deny certification if requirements are not met, with a 30-day window for organizations to correct issues before a final denial. These changes aim to increase transparency and accountability for organizations managing education tax credits and scholarships.
This bill transfers the Montana Adult Basic Education Fund from the Office of Public Instruction to the Department of Labor and Industry. It allows the new department to distribute funds to school districts, community colleges, tribal colleges, public libraries, and community-based organizations for adult education programs. The law also requires the Secretary of State to notify federally recognized tribal governments in Montana about this change, which takes effect on July 1, 2025.
This bill revises how Montana distributes state revenue for local road construction and maintenance among counties, cities, towns, and consolidated city-county governments. The key change is adding a new factor that allocates 25% of county funds and 20% of city/town funds based on daily vehicle miles traveled, while adjusting existing population and mileage-based formulas. Funds must be used for building, repairing, or maintaining rural roads and city streets, with specific rules for how consolidated city-county governments receive their share and how towns can use up to 25% of their allocation for equipment and supplies. The bill also clarifies how population and mileage data are calculated for distribution purposes and requires contracts over certain thresholds to follow standard bidding procedures.
