This bill proposes replacing school property taxes with a statewide sales tax. It would create a general sales tax across Montana, with all revenue directed to the School Equalization and Property Tax Reduction Account to fund public schools. The bill repeals existing property tax mill levies for schools and allows certain sales tax exemptions while requiring out-of-state retailers to collect the tax. Homeowners would no longer pay school property taxes, and schools would receive funding through this new sales tax system instead of local property levies.
This resolution requires Montana legislators to identify specific existing programs whose funding will be reduced when introducing bills that include new spending. If a bill proposes new expenditures, it must specify which current programs will have funds reallocated to cover the cost, rather than adding new spending without offsetting cuts. The resolution is procedural - it doesn’t change actual budgets but sets a rule for how bills are drafted to promote fiscal accountability. It applies to all House bills containing new appropriations, aiming to ensure every new spending request includes a clear funding source within the same bill.
This bill requires Montana legislators to identify specific existing programs that will lose funding to cover any new spending proposed in a bill. If a bill includes a new appropriation (funding request), it must specify which programs' funds will be reallocated to offset the cost within the same bill. It applies directly to all members of the Montana Legislature drafting bills with new spending proposals. The resolution aims to promote fiscal accountability by ensuring new expenditures are balanced with reallocation from current programs, rather than adding to the state budget without offsetting changes.
This bill (LC 4055) proposed revisions to state budgeting and performance laws, aiming to update procedures for managing state funds and measuring government efficiency. It would have directly affected state agencies, budget offices, and potentially local governments by altering how budgets are structured and evaluated. However, the bill died in the legislative process on May 22, 2025, before becoming law, meaning no actual policy changes were implemented. As a result, the proposed revisions to budgeting mechanisms and performance metrics never took effect.
This bill (LC 683) proposed replacing the state's traditional budgeting approach with zero-based budgeting, requiring all state agencies to justify every expense annually instead of carrying over prior-year funding. It would have directly affected state agencies, budget committees, and legislators responsible for allocating funds. The bill died in process on May 22, 2025, and never became law, so these changes were never implemented.
This bill would have prohibited state funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in public K-12 schools. It aimed to prevent public school districts from using state funds for initiatives related to DEI, directly affecting school budgets and program offerings. The bill was introduced in 2024 but died in the drafting process in May 2025, meaning it did not advance to a vote or become law.
This bill (LC 1145) proposed establishing ongoing transfers from the state's General Fund to support infrastructure projects and pension funding, unless specific fiscal conditions were met. It aimed to create a sustained funding mechanism for these priorities without requiring annual legislative approval. However, the bill never advanced beyond the drafting stage, as it was placed on hold in November 2024 and ultimately died in process by May 2025. No further action or implementation occurred.
This bill proposed allocating state funds to support public libraries sharing books, materials, and services statewide. It would have directly benefited library patrons by expanding access to resources and library staff managing interlibrary systems. The key mechanism was providing dedicated funding for infrastructure and coordination between libraries. However, the bill was placed on hold and ultimately died in committee in May 2025 without becoming law.
HB 880 establishes the Medicaid Stabilization Reserve Account, a state special revenue fund designed to help maintain Medicaid benefits during state revenue shortfalls. The account would be primarily funded by transferring any unused state general fund appropriations for Medicaid at the end of a fiscal year. Funds from this account could only be appropriated by the legislature for state Medicaid matching funds after the budget director certifies a projected general fund deficit. This mechanism aims to mitigate expenditure reductions in the Medicaid program, directly affecting the stability of services for beneficiaries. The bill also includes an initial appropriation of $50,000 for state Medicaid matching funds.
SB 171 requires that 10% of excess state general fund revenue, after meeting budget stability and capital projects fund thresholds, be transferred to the Montana coal severance tax permanent fund (coal trust fund). This bill amends Montana's budget law to direct a portion of surplus funds - specifically, funds exceeding established reserve levels - to the coal trust fund instead of remaining in the general fund. The transfer applies when the budget stabilization reserve fund and capital projects fund exceed 16% and 12% of general revenue appropriations, respectively. The coal trust fund, which supports coal-related programs, would receive this additional funding without altering the state's primary budget processes.
