Rep. Terry Falk

Maddy summaryHB 944 requires 12 state agencies to submit detailed monthly reports to Montana's General Government Budget Committee on specific program statuses, such as the Department of Military Affairs' spending on infrastructure and the Department of Revenue's cannabis moratorium updates. It mandates reports on budgeted positions, leasing activities, grant disbursements, and program implementation (e.g., prison education under HB 718). The bill does not create new policies but establishes reporting mechanisms to track existing programs and spending, as directed by another bill (HB 2 Section A). It affects all agencies required to report to the committee, including departments of military affairs, revenue, labor, and housing. This procedural bill focuses solely on transparency and accountability, with no substantive policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 705 revises Montana's election laws to require county and city central committees to notify representatives of upcoming county conventions via email instead of physical mail. The bill directly affects local political party committees responsible for organizing conventions, changing their communication method for convention notices. Key provisions amend Section 13-38-205, MCA, to specify that the presiding officer must send the convention call "through electronic mail" to precinct committee representatives at least four days before the event. This is a procedural change focused solely on streamlining notification processes for party committees.

Maddy summaryHB 906 amends existing Montana property tax rebate laws to provide financial relief to homeowners by increasing rebate amounts for principal residences occupied in 2022 and 2023. The bill allows eligible taxpayers who owned and lived in their homes for at least seven months during those years to receive up to $319 for 2022 and $330 for 2023, or the full amount of taxes paid if it is less than those limits. Property owners must submit claims electronically or by mail between August 15 and October 1 each year, and the state will mail notices to potential claimants by June 30 of the following year. The legislation also clarifies definitions for principal residences and outlines procedures for handling claims from deceased taxpayers or those in revocable trusts.

Maddy summaryHB 799 expands the definition of who can vote in local mill levy elections for counties, cities, school districts, and other taxing entities. It allows individuals who own property within the taxing jurisdiction to vote, even if they do not reside there. These property owners must hold title and provide proof of tax payment. Each individual is limited to one vote per election, regardless of the number of properties they own within the district.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 132 aimed to revise individual income taxation by allowing taxpayers to deduct a portion of their interest earnings from their Montana taxable income. This proposed deduction would apply to interest income reported on a Form 1099. The bill specified that the amount of the deduction would be limited based on the individual's tax filing status. Essentially, it sought to reduce the state income tax burden for individuals receiving certain interest income.

Maddy summaryHB 470 aimed to revise laws concerning mortgages and false advertising by prohibiting the use of "trigger leads." The bill sought to define what constitutes a trigger lead and categorize its use as a form of false and deceptive advertising, in part to prevent identity theft. It would have granted the Banking Commissioner authority to regulate these leads. This legislation directly affected mortgage lenders and advertisers by restricting certain marketing practices and aimed to protect consumers from potentially deceptive solicitations.

Maddy summaryHB 946 aimed to provide property tax relief for owners of principal residences by increasing selective sales taxes on lodging and rental cars. The bill proposed a temporary property tax credit of up to $400 for eligible principal residences for tax year 2025, based on 2024 tax payments. It also outlined plans for permanent property tax assistance starting in tax year 2026. The Department of Revenue would have been responsible for certifying principal residences and processing claims, which included an application and appeals process.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 232 aimed to revise laws concerning homeowners' associations (HOAs) and their members. It required HOAs to produce and distribute annual budget reports, detailing estimated revenue and expenses for the upcoming fiscal year, and annual financial reports, summarizing the prior year's finances. The bill also set rules for increasing HOA fees, allowing increases only once annually. Increases up to 15% would need approval from a majority of property owners, while increases over 15% would require approval from two-thirds of property owners.

Maddy summaryHB 785 revises the laws for manufactured homes to be considered improvements to real property for tax and lending purposes. The bill outlines requirements such as removing running gear, attaching the home to a permanent foundation, and recording a statement of intent with the county. It also establishes a process to eliminate the manufactured home's certificate of origin or title once it is declared real property. Additionally, it creates an alternate process for older manufactured homes (built before October 1, 2005) with missing identification tags, allowing them to be considered real property if they have been taxed as such for at least one year. This affects owners of manufactured homes and the state agencies involved in titling and taxation.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution from the Montana Legislature urges the United States Congress to take action regarding "mortgage trigger leads." These are unsolicited offers of mortgage credit sent to individuals who have recently applied for a mortgage, leading to unwanted communications. The resolution asks Congress to either curtail or eliminate these trigger leads to protect consumers nationwide. Alternatively, it requests that Congress allow states like Montana to regulate them by removing federal preemption under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.