Rep. Tracy Sharp

Maddy summaryHB 643 revises how state agencies pay for holding people in county detention centers. It changes the definition of "actual costs" to be the greater of either $82 per day (as documented by the center) or 90% of the Crossroads Correctional Facility's daily rate. This affects the Department of Corrections, Department of Public Health and Human Services, and local law enforcement agencies that must pay these costs for specific cases, like probation violators or people awaiting placement in health facilities. The bill ensures payments cover the documented costs plus 10%, clarifying which agency pays in different detention scenarios.

Maddy summaryHB 469 revises state law regarding the recognition of out-of-state driver's licenses for non-residents operating motor vehicles. The bill clarifies that a non-resident's license is not valid if it belongs to a class of licenses issued exclusively to individuals unlawfully present in the United States. It mandates the Motor Vehicle Division of the Department of Justice to establish rules for identifying and classifying these specific out-of-state licenses.

Maddy summaryHB 216 requires the Fish and Wildlife Commission to establish rules for issuing deer and elk hunting licenses. These licenses would be available to private landowners whose property is within the exterior boundaries of the Flathead Indian Reservation. The licenses would only be valid for hunting on the land owned by the license holder within the reservation. The bill also directs the department to pursue an agreement with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes to transfer revenue from these license sales to the tribal council.

Maddy summaryHB 366 proposed to appropriate a total of $5 million from the state's general fund to the Department of Justice over two fiscal years, starting July 1, 2025. This funding was intended to reimburse Lake County. The reimbursement was for the county's role in assuming felony criminal jurisdiction over members of federally recognized tribes and the Indian territory of the Flathead Indian reservation, a responsibility undertaken due to Public Law 280. The bill indicated that this appropriation was meant to be an ongoing part of the state budget until Montana ends its participation in Public Law 280.

Maddy summaryHB 644 would have allowed counties, with written permission from the Department of Revenue, to employ their own certified property appraisers for property tax purposes. Appraisals conducted by these county appraisers would then be used by the Department of Revenue when certifying taxable values. The bill also updated existing regulations regarding property valuation staff's entry onto private land for appraisals, extending these rules to county appraisers and affirming landowners' rights to be present. If a landowner denied entry, the property's value could be estimated, and appeals would require granting access or providing an independent certified appraisal.