Budget & Taxes (State Budget)

died · Montana · Legislature May 26, 2025

LC 1553: Establish a fund for parks and recreation

LC 1553 proposed creating a dedicated state fund to support local parks and recreation programs. It would have provided ongoing financial resources for park maintenance, facility upgrades, and community recreation initiatives, directly benefiting municipalities and local park departments. The bill did not specify exact funding mechanisms or allocation formulas. However, the bill died in committee process on May 26, 2025, and never became law, so no funding was established.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill proposes dedicated state fund for parks/recreation, directly allocating state resources under State Finance/appropriations subjects to fund public services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 313: Establish a grant program for aquatic recreational facilities

HB 313 aimed to establish a grant program to provide funding for public swimming pools operated by local governments and nonprofit organizations. It would have created a "public swimming pool infrastructure account" and appropriated $5 million from the state general fund, to be administered by the Department of Commerce. These grants were intended to support capital construction, maintenance, repair projects, and equipment purchases for eligible aquatic facilities. Grants of $25,000 or more would have required a 1:5 match, and funding was limited to $1 million per county and $500,000 per project.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $5M from state general fund for public pool infrastructure grants, directly funding public recreation services through appropriations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 361: Provide funding to school districts for English language learners

House Bill 361 sought to establish state funding for school districts serving English language learners and provide professional stipends for their teachers. It proposed state matching funds for public school districts that receive federal subgrants for programs supporting students with limited English proficiency. The bill also aimed to provide annual stipends of up to $500 for qualified teachers holding specific certifications in English as a Second Language or culturally and linguistically diverse education. Teachers meeting these qualifications and working in high-poverty or impacted schools could receive an enhanced stipend of up to $1,000, with both the state and school districts contributing to these payments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates state funding for ELL programs and teacher stipends under school finance appropriations, directly advancing budgetary support for education services.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides state funding for ESL programs and $500 teacher stipends, directly advancing educational support for language learners and teachers in K-12 schools.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationFunds ELL programs, directly supporting immigrant students' educational access and integration, aligning with 'provides immigrant services' indicator.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding Teachers

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signed · Montana · Senate Apr 17, 2025

SB 37: Clarify calculations for significant enrollment increases

SB 37 revises school funding laws by clarifying how significant enrollment increases are calculated for state aid payments. The bill specifies that these calculations must be made separately for each budget unit within a school district. A district becomes eligible for additional funding if its current October enrollment count, converted to ANB, exceeds its budget limit ANB from three years prior by 110% or more. The Superintendent of Public Instruction determines the payment amount, which districts can accept fully or partially to address costs associated with the enrollment growth.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill clarifies state aid calculations for school funding, ensuring additional state budget allocations for districts meeting enrollment criteria, directly supporting education program funding within fiscal management.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationClarifies enrollment calculation to trigger additional state aid when enrollment exceeds 110% of prior budget limit, directly advancing school funding mechanisms.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding

signed · Montana · House Apr 7, 2025

HB 3: Supplemental Appropriations Bill

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $22.2M to Public Health, $12.5M to Public Defender, and other funds for essential state operations, directly supporting budget allocation and fiscal management.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllocates $12.5M to State Public Defender's Conflict Division, directly funding indigent defense and defendants' rights in criminal justice system.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationAllocates $4.07M to Montana Highway Patrol (transportation safety agency) for road safety operations, directly funding transportation infrastructure maintenance.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Roads & Highways

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 870: Revise laws related to surplus revenue

HB 870 proposed to allocate surplus state revenues. It aimed to provide a one-time-only appropriation of $120,000 from the general fund to the Department of Justice. This funding was intended to address recruitment and retention challenges at the Montana State Crime Lab. The appropriation was designated for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026, with any unexpended funds reverting to the general fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates surplus funds to fund Crime Lab recruitment/retention, promoting fiscal responsibility through targeted spending with unspent funds reverting to general fund.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds Montana State Crime Lab recruitment/retention, directly supporting criminal justice infrastructure and operations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HR 7: House resolution for legislators to offset appropriations in introduced bills by identifying the programs from which funds are to be reallocated in the same bill

House Resolution 7 (HR 7) requests that members of the Montana State Legislature, when introducing or amending bills to include new spending, also identify existing programs from which funds would be reallocated to cover those new appropriations. This means any bill proposing new expenditures would need to specify how those funds would be offset within the state budget.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRequires offsetting new spending with reallocated funds, promoting fiscal responsibility in budget management95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 373: Revise lottery proceeds laws to dedicate to education funding

HB 373 aimed to revise the allocation of excess state lottery revenue, dedicating it to education funding instead of the state general fund. The Office of Public Instruction would distribute these funds quarterly to school districts based on a per-quality-educator formula. Districts would deposit these funds into their school flexibility funds, which could be used for various expenditures, including teacher salaries, benefits, housing, technology enhancements, and facility improvements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects existing lottery revenue to education funding, increasing public service allocation without new taxes or tax changes.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill redirects lottery revenue to education funding, earmarked for teacher salaries, benefits, and infrastructure - directly increases school funding allocation.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill dedicates lottery funds for teacher salaries, benefits, and workplace improvements per school district formula, directly funding labor-related employment costs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding Teachers

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 27, 2025

LC 1278: Providing for a refund of property taxes for failure to abate a public nuisance

This bill allows property owners to apply for a refund of their property taxes if their local government (city, county, or consolidated city-county) fails to enforce laws against specific public nuisances like illegal camping, public drinking, or panhandling, and the owner incurs documented costs to mitigate these issues on their property. The refund amount equals the documented mitigation expenses, but cannot exceed the owner’s prior year’s property tax payment to the local government. The state department of revenue processes applications, requiring local governments to accept or reject refunds within 30 days; rejections can be challenged in court, where the government bears the burden of proof. Refunds are paid from the state general fund and deducted from the local government’s future entitlement share payments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill provides property tax refunds for owners mitigating public nuisances, directly addressing tax relief within Taxation--Property subject.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax State Budget

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 29, 2025

LC 1199: Generally revise state finance laws

This bill creates the Montana Growth and Opportunity Trust to manage volatile state tax revenue. It requires annual transfers of half of unpredictable tax revenue (like capital gains) into the trust starting in 2027. The trust’s interest earnings are split: half funds five specific state accounts (disaster relief, property tax relief, water development, bridge repairs, and early childhood programs), each receiving up to $15 million yearly, while the other half is reinvested into pension funds and housing infrastructure loans. The bill directly affects state budget operations and provides dedicated funding streams for local government services, housing, and early childhood programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds property tax relief and essential programs (disaster, water, bridges) via tax revenue trust, promoting fiscal responsibility and public funding.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill allocates up to $15M annually for 'bridge repairs' under trust earnings, directly funding transportation infrastructure maintenance.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Revenue State Budget Bridges

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