Budget & Taxes (State Budget)

signed · Montana · House May 19, 2025

HB 228: Revised requirements for the reporting of actual costs for legislation with projected fiscal impacts

HB 228 revises how the Office of Budget and Program Planning reports on the actual costs of certain legislation to the Legislative Finance Committee. It lowers the threshold for tracking from $1 million to $500,000 in projected general fund expenditures. The bill requires reports to be submitted biannually, in February and October, detailing actual spending for the preceding six months and comparing it to the original projected costs. This legislation also repeals a termination date, making this cost reporting requirement permanent.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRevises fiscal reporting to enhance budget transparency and accountability by lowering tracking threshold and requiring biannual cost comparisons, promoting fiscal responsibility.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Audits & Accountability State Budget

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 376: Require state agencies to provide timely information to legislators

HB 376 would have required state agencies to provide information requested by legislators within 5 legislative days during a session. If an agency failed to respond, a legislator could file a complaint with the appropriations committee. This committee would then hold a hearing and could vote to reduce the agency's budget by up to 5%. The hearing's outcome would be shared with the Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker, allowing for potential disciplinary action against the agency director.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill uses budget reductions (up to 5%) as enforcement for agency responsiveness, promoting fiscal accountability in appropriations management per subjects listed.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Tags Government Transparency

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signed · Montana · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4: Appropriations by budget amendment

HB 4 is a procedural budget amendment bill that allows unspent funds from Montana’s fiscal year 2025 appropriations to continue into future fiscal years (2026-2027) for specific programs. It directly affects state agencies like the Judiciary, Department of Justice, Public Instruction, and Fish/Wildlife/Parks by extending authority for existing initiatives, such as treatment courts, election security grants, school relief funds, and wildlife monitoring projects. The bill’s key mechanism is permitting carryover of unused budget authority without new legislative action, ensuring continuity for ongoing programs. As a procedural budget measure, it does not create new spending but adjusts timing for existing allocations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExtends unspent funds to maintain existing programs (treatment courts, school relief) without new taxes or cuts, aligning with fiscal responsibility and funding continuity.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 883: Reduce supreme court budget

HB 883 aims to reduce the funding for the State Supreme Court for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025. If passed alongside a general appropriations act, the bill would set the Supreme Court's appropriation at $18 million and void any other appropriations to the court. It also prohibits the transfer of funds or appropriation authority from district court functions to the Supreme Court for that biennium.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesDefunds state Supreme Court by reducing budget to $18M and prohibits fund transfers, directly limiting court funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget

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signed · Montana · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 2: General Appropriations Act

HB 2, the General Appropriations Act of 2025, allocates $30.8 million in state funding for Montana's agencies during the 2025-2027 biennium. It directly affects all state agencies receiving funds, including the Legislative Services Division, Governor's Office, and Consumer Counsel, by specifying how money can be spent (e.g., "Biennial" funds for two years, "Restricted" funds for specific purposes). Key mechanisms include categorizing appropriations to control spending, requiring separate budget tracking for different fund types, and mandating clear reporting of personal services funding. The bill does not create new policies but establishes the financial framework for state operations during the biennium.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $30.8M in state funding for agencies, directly supporting budget appropriations and fiscal management per its summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 472: Revise laws related to state settlement money

HB 472 revises how the state manages money received from legal settlements. It generally requires that funds obtained from claims or litigation on behalf of the state or its citizens, after covering attorney fees and costs, be deposited into the state's general fund. The bill includes exceptions for specific funds like victim restitution, natural resource damages for restoration, and existing tobacco settlement money. It also grants the Governor authority to approve alternative uses for settlement funds, requiring a report to the legislative finance committee if this authority is utilized.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesDirects settlement funds to general fund, increasing state budget revenue without tax changes, aligning with fiscal responsibility and fund allocation indicators.92% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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signed · Montana · House May 16, 2025

HB 483: Revise laws to reduce property taxes while preserving the current 95 school equalization mills

HB 483 aims to reduce property taxes by revising school funding laws, while preserving the existing 95 school equalization mills. The bill fixes state and county school equalization mills and vocational-technical education mills, and exempts school levies from general property tax increase limits. It also increases guaranteed tax base multipliers for fiscal year 2026 and raises state reimbursement rates for school transportation, which helps lower local property tax burdens. Additionally, the bill requires reports from the Office of Public Instruction and Department of Revenue on the impacts of property reappraisal on school funding and property taxes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly reduces property taxes through revised school funding laws, exempts school levies from tax limits, and raises state reimbursement rates to lower local property tax burdens while preserving school funding.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationPreserves 95 school equalization mills and raises state reimbursement rates for school transportation, reducing local property tax burden while maintaining school funding stability.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill explicitly increases state reimbursement rates for school transportation, directly funding this transportation infrastructure component.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Property Tax State Budget School Funding School Transportation

died · Montana · Legislature May 23, 2025

LC 1026: Generally revise state financing laws and create tax reduction fund

This bill (LC 1026) proposed revisions to state financing laws and established a tax reduction fund, but it never advanced beyond the drafting stage. The bill was assigned to a drafter in November 2024, placed on hold the same month, and ultimately "died in process" on May 23, 2025. As a result, none of its provisions - such as the proposed tax fund or financing law changes - were enacted into law. The bill did not become law or affect any specific groups.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProposed tax reduction fund explicitly aligns with tax relief indicators for support, despite bill not advancing95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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died · Montana · Legislature May 23, 2025

LC 3714: Generally provide funding for affordable housing in gateway communities

This bill (LC 3714) was a draft proposal to provide state funding for affordable housing projects in "gateway communities" (typically areas near major transportation hubs or economic centers). However, it never advanced beyond the drafting stage, as it was placed on hold in January 2025 and ultimately "died in process" by May 2025. The context does not provide specific details about the funding mechanisms, eligibility criteria, or exact communities affected. Since the bill was not enacted, no concrete policy changes were implemented, and no voting record exists for this proposal.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly proposes state funding for affordable housing projects, directly advancing appropriations for public services under Budget & Taxes.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly proposes state funding for affordable housing projects in gateway communities, directly advancing affordable housing initiatives per its title and summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Affordable Housing

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died · Montana · Legislature May 23, 2025

LC 1144: Pilot for performing-based budgeting efforts

LC 1144 proposed a pilot program to test performance-based budgeting for state agencies, where funding would be tied to measurable results like service delivery outcomes. It would have directly affected state departments by requiring them to set specific, trackable goals for their budgets. However, the bill never advanced beyond the drafting stage, as its draft was officially "dead in process" by May 23, 2025, meaning it did not become law. This was a procedural proposal with no concrete policy changes enacted.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill proposes performance-based budgeting tying funding to measurable outcomes, promoting fiscal responsibility and accountability in state spending.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Audits & Accountability Debt & Bonds State Budget

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