This bill (LC 1489) aimed to revise permitting processes for critical mineral mining but never advanced beyond the drafting stage. It was assigned to a drafter in November 2024, placed on hold in January 2025, and ultimately died in process in May 2025 without committee action or a vote. As a procedural draft that did not become law, there are no concrete policy changes or affected parties to summarize. The bill’s intended scope - streamlining mining permits for minerals critical to clean energy technologies - remained unrealized.
This bill (LC 1968) would have banned the use of electronic motion-tracking devices and thermal optics during the general hunting season in the state. It directly affected hunters participating in the general hunting season by prohibiting these specific technologies. The bill never became law, as it died in the legislative process in May 2025 after being placed on hold. It did not advance beyond the drafting stage.
HB 6 implements the Renewable Resource Grant and Loan Program by appropriating funds to the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC). The bill allocates specific amounts for various grant types, including emergency projects, planning, irrigation development, private projects, and nonpoint source pollution reduction. Additionally, it appropriates $5.25 million for prioritized infrastructure grant projects to specific cities, towns, and water districts for improvements to wastewater systems, drinking water infrastructure, and stormwater control. Funds for these prioritized projects are awarded in a specified order until available money is expended.
HB 120 expands Montana's Commercial Property-Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program to include multifamily housing facilities with at least five residential units. This change directly affects property owners and developers of qualifying multifamily buildings (e.g., apartment complexes), allowing them to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades through property assessments. The bill amends definitions to explicitly include these residential properties under the program, covering improvements like insulation, solar panels, and energy-efficient appliances. It maintains the existing financing mechanism where costs are repaid through property taxes over time, without requiring new debt or upfront payments from property owners. The law took effect immediately upon the governor's signature on April 7, 2025.
HB 935 allows the department to temporarily suspend or close new permit applications for large groundwater appropriations (3,000 gallons per minute or more) from specific areas within the Fox Hills-Hell Creek aquifer. This action aims to balance water development with the protection of existing water rights. The bill also mandates the Bureau of Mines and Geology to conduct a feasibility study on groundwater availability in these areas. It appropriates $5,000 for this study, and the act's provisions are set to terminate on June 30, 2027.
HB 47 revises the State Building Energy Conservation Act, which affects state agencies, the university system, and community college districts concerning energy improvements in state-owned buildings. The bill removes the Department of Environmental Quality's authority to issue energy conservation program bonds. Instead, projects will be funded from the general fund or the energy conservation capital projects account. The Department of Environmental Quality is now authorized to set an annual interest rate, not exceeding 3%, for these projects.
HB 31 clarifies and revises the bonding requirements for wind and solar generation facility owners in Montana to ensure proper decommissioning. It mandates that facility owners submit a decommissioning plan and provide a bond to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) within specific timeframes after commencing commercial operation. The DEQ determines the bond amount based on factors like site characteristics and salvage value. The bill also outlines various exemptions for facilities already bonded elsewhere or meeting certain size and operation criteria, and establishes penalties for non-compliance.
House Bill 217 transfers the State Building Energy Conservation Program from the Department of Environmental Quality to the Architecture and Engineering Division within the Department of Administration. This means the A&E Division will now manage efforts to identify state-owned buildings for energy savings, conduct energy analyses, and implement improvements. The bill also allows the Department of Environmental Quality to retain certain federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds previously allocated to the program. This change affects state agencies and aims to consolidate the administration of state building energy efficiency.
House Bill 855 establishes a dedicated funding mechanism for projects aimed at reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions across Montana. It authorizes the Fish and Wildlife Commission to create a specialty license plate, with a $20 donation from its sale and renewal deposited into a new "Big Game and Wildlife Highway Crossings and Accommodations Account." Funds in this account, which also accepts gifts and grants, are statutorily appropriated to the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. These funds will be used for the design, construction, maintenance, and study of wildlife crossings and related accommodations on state roadways, improving safety for both drivers and wildlife.
HB 587 revises existing mine reclamation laws. The bill updates the definition of "material damage" and clarifies the hydrologic and geologic information required for mining permits. It grants rulemaking authority to the Department of Environmental Quality and amends specific sections of state law. These changes impact mining operations by adjusting the regulatory framework and definitions used for reclamation activities.
