This resolution confirms three appointments to Montana's Livestock Loss Board, as submitted by the Governor on March 7, 2025. The confirmed appointees - Doreen Gillespie (Ethridge), Joseph Kipp (Browning), and Jordan Mannix (Helmville) - will serve until January 2, 2029, per state law. The resolution has no policy impact; it merely approves existing appointments to the board, which administers livestock loss compensation programs for Montana ranchers. This is a routine procedural step, not a new law.
This bill requires private companies that transport children (excluding government employees) to register annually with Montana's Department of Public Health and Human Services, providing details like company ownership, vehicle information, and business licenses. Companies must notify the department 48 hours before transporting a child, including the child's details, parent contact, and transport route, while the department maintains records for 10 years and shares them with law enforcement for human trafficking investigations. The bill prohibits using physical restraints, chemical restraints, or visually impairing children (like blindfolds), and bans pickups between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. It directly affects secure youth transportation companies, aiming to enhance child safety and prevent trafficking through transparency and record-keeping.
This bill requires Montana's state treasurer to transfer all unspent funds from the state's "debt and liability free account" into the "coal severance tax permanent fund" within 10 days of the bill's effective date. The transfer applies only to unobligated and unexpended money in the debt-free account, as defined in existing law. If another bill (SB 90) fails to pass, the transfer would instead go to the "Montana school facilities fund" instead. The bill appropriates $100 from the general fund to cover implementation costs for the 2025-2027 biennium. It takes effect immediately upon approval.
This joint resolution (LC 4446) directs Montana's Legislative Council to conduct an interim study on the state's ethics processes for legislators. The study must examine how ethics issues are handled, identify overlaps or gaps between the Legislature and the Commissioner of Political Practices, and consider updates to existing ethics rules. The findings must be reported to the 70th Legislature by September 2026. This resolution does not change current laws but sets a process for reviewing ethics procedures.
This bill creates a $250 annual tax credit for Montana parents or legal guardians of children attending nonpublic schools. It directly affects families with children aged 5-19 enrolled in qualifying nonpublic schools (as defined in Montana law). The credit, which cannot exceed a taxpayer's income tax liability, may be carried forward up to three years if not fully used in the current tax year. The bill also adds this new credit to Montana's scheduled tax credit review process, requiring its evaluation every eight years starting in 2025.
This bill, Montana's Social Media Youth Protection Act (LC 3686), requires social media companies to implement three key safeguards for minors under 18. First, companies must use an "age-assurance system" with at least 95% accuracy to identify minors. Second, they must obtain parental consent for minors' data privacy settings and provide tools for parents to monitor accounts. Third, companies must offer supervisory features for minor account holders to help prevent excessive use linked to mental health risks, sleep disruption, and academic impacts. The law directly affects social media platforms operating in Montana and their minor users and parents.
This bill amends Montana law to allow motorboats to tow people on waterskis or similar devices between sunset and sunrise, provided the vessel and person being towed are properly illuminated as defined by new rules from the fish and wildlife commission. It directly affects boaters and watersports participants who currently cannot engage in these activities during nighttime hours under existing rules. The key mechanism requires the commission to develop safety rules for proper illumination, with $1,000 appropriated for rule development and public education. The bill removes the blanket nighttime ban while adding a safety requirement, rather than creating new restrictions.
This bill redirects 60.2% of Montana's lodging tax revenue to fund property tax assistance for primary residences. It amends existing law to allocate these funds through the Department of Commerce under Section 90-1-122, directly benefiting Montana homeowners by reducing their property tax burden. The legislation revises how lodging tax proceeds are distributed, ensuring the majority of these funds support property tax relief rather than other designated uses like tourism or historical preservation.
This joint resolution expresses Montana's legislative support for maintaining federal management of national public lands, including parks, forests, and wildlife refuges. It specifically opposes efforts to sell, transfer, or dispose of these lands to private entities or state governments. The resolution directs Montana's Governor, Attorney General, and Congressional delegation to take action against such proposals, citing the economic and recreational value of public lands to Montanans (noting $5.8 billion in tourism revenue and 82% public support for monument protections). As a non-binding statement, it does not create new laws but formally aligns the state with federal land stewardship.
This bill revises Montana's definition of "public utility" to create a new exemption for certain electric generation entities. Specifically, it exempts legally separate entities that supply power to customers with a monthly average load of 20 megawatts or more, provided they avoid affiliate transactions, maintain separate finances, and don't use utility assets to guarantee debt. The exemption directly affects large commercial power users and utilities seeking to operate generation facilities outside standard regulation. The bill also appropriates $15,000 for the Department of Commerce to analyze Montana's energy demand, requiring a report by September 2026.
This resolution (LC 4467) confirms the Montana Senate's approval of Governor-appointed members to the Board of Crime Control. It specifically approves 11 appointments made by the Governor on February 18, 2025, for terms ending between 2027 and 2029. The resolution formally concurs in, confirms, and consents to these appointments as required by Montana law (section 5-5-302, MCA), with no new policy changes or mechanisms.
This bill (LC 1863) provides a temporary property tax exemption during construction for new senior care and housing development projects. It applies specifically to nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) status) developing facilities for seniors 62+ or 55+ per federal housing rules. Local governments must approve each project via public hearing to confirm community need before the exemption begins. The tax break ends once construction is complete or if the facility is sold to a for-profit entity.
