This bill creates a dedicated funding account in Montana to support the design, construction, and maintenance of wildlife highway crossings and accommodations. It authorizes the Fish and Wildlife Commission to launch a specialty license plate program that generates $20 per plate to fund these projects. The account can be used for building underpasses and overpasses, conducting studies, and reimbursing the Department of Transportation for eligible wildlife crossing projects. Money in the account earns interest and remains available for future use, ensuring ongoing support for reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions and protecting wildlife movement across the state.
This bill updates Montana's unemployment insurance program by requiring the state to use databases to verify applicant identities and cross-check records against prison, jail, and new hire lists on a weekly basis. It also creates a lower tax schedule for employers with better unemployment insurance experience ratings and allows penalty and interest money to be carried forward across fiscal years. Additionally, the bill permits limited disclosure of motor vehicle records to help verify eligibility for unemployment benefits. These changes aim to improve program integrity and adjust how employers contribute to the unemployment insurance fund.
This bill updates Montana's property tax rates for agricultural, residential, and commercial properties, directly affecting landowners and property owners across the state. It amends existing state statutes to change the tax percentage for agricultural land from 1.7% to 2.16% of productive capacity value and adjusts residential and commercial tax rates from 0.76% to 1.35% of market value, while also modifying how certain mixed-use properties are classified and taxed. The legislation includes specific provisions for nonqualified agricultural land, mining claims, and residential properties over $1.5 million in value, with tax rates applied differently based on property use and size. The changes take effect immediately upon passage and apply retroactively to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, and the reappraisal cycle starting January 1, 2025.
This bill limits the fees that Montana local governments can charge children for using parks and sports fields, setting a maximum of $25 per month or $10 for a three-day period. It directly affects counties, cities, towns, and special districts by prohibiting them from creating or enforcing rules that exceed these fee caps for children under 18. The legislation also clarifies that fees charged to children's sports teams must be calculated per individual child rather than per team, while excluding swimming pools, aquatic centers, and ice recreation facilities from these restrictions.
This bill prohibits local governments in Montana from creating or enforcing guaranteed income programs, which provide regular cash payments to individuals without requiring work or training. It directly affects cities, counties, school districts, and other local political subdivisions by banning them from adopting ordinances or rules that make such payments. The Attorney General is authorized to issue cease and desist orders to any local government that violates this prohibition and can seek court injunctions if the local government does not comply. This legislation aims to ensure statewide uniformity by preventing local variations in guaranteed income policy implementation.
Tags
Local Government
This Montana bill creates a one-time property tax rebate of up to $400 for homeowners who paid property taxes on their principal residence in 2024. The rebate is limited to the actual amount of taxes paid and applies to single-family homes, apartments, and manufactured homes where the taxpayer lived for at least seven months during the year. Eligible homeowners must submit claims between August 15 and October 1, 2025, by mail or online, and the rebate is not subject to Montana income tax. The bill also establishes penalties for false claims and allows appeals if a rebate application is denied.
This bill updates Montana's state wildland fire policy to clarify the duties of fire protection entities and establish a mechanism for the state to bill federal agencies for suppression costs. It directly affects state and local fire departments, federal fire protection agencies, and property owners across Montana. The key provision allows the state fire department to charge federal agencies for costs incurred when suppressing fires within five miles of state or county fire protection areas, particularly when federal responses do not align with state policy. Additionally, the bill emphasizes fire prevention, hazard reduction, and the responsibility of all property owners and public land managers to mitigate fire risks through activities like thinning and prescribed burning.
Tags
Public Safety
This bill directs the Montana Housing Infrastructure Revolving Loan Fund to keep all interest and income it earns rather than distributing them elsewhere. It also requires that the fund's principal can only be used if approved by a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers. The legislation authorizes the state treasurer to transfer $50 million from the general fund to the account in 2025 and another $50 million in 2026. Additionally, the law applies retroactively to interest and income earned since June 2023.
This bill extends Montana's at-home infant care program from two years to three years for low-income families. It directly affects parents who provide full-time care for infants under three years of age and meet specific eligibility requirements, including income limits of 150% of the federal poverty level and work or education requirements. The legislation amends state law to allow families to receive up to 36 months of assistance instead of the previous 24 months, with funding of $2 million appropriated annually from the general fund starting July 1, 2025.
This bill lowers property tax rates for agricultural land, residential properties, and commercial buildings in Montana to reduce the financial impact of recent property value reassessments. It directly affects farmers, homeowners, and business owners by reducing the percentage of their property's value that must be paid in taxes. The key changes include lowering the tax rate for agricultural land to 1.85% of its productive capacity value and reducing residential and commercial tax rates to 0.76% and 1.07% of market value, respectively. The legislation also clarifies how mixed-use properties are classified and taxed, ensuring that improvements on agricultural land are assessed separately from the land itself. These tax rate adjustments apply retroactively to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, and the reappraisal cycle starting January 1, 2025.
