Montana Bills

This bill revises Montana's hunting license application fees and bonus point system. It allows nonresident landowners who own at least 640 contiguous acres and participate in a department land access program to purchase an additional bonus point for elk or deer licenses (at a $25 fee), subject to holding a Class B-10 license. The bill also increases nonresident bonus point application fees from $20 to $25 per species and repeals an existing section (87-2-714). These changes directly affect nonresident hunters seeking preference points for big game licenses.

This bill establishes a segment of Highway 37 in Lincoln County as the "Danny L. Radish Highway" to honor Master Gunnery Sergeant Danny L. Radish, a Marine Corps veteran who received the Silver Star and Navy and Marine Corps Medal. The Department of Transportation must install signs marking the highway and update state highway maps to include the new name. The bill is purely ceremonial, with no new funding, regulations, or policy changes beyond the highway designation. It does not affect any specific group or program beyond the naming of this road segment.

Montana's LC 4447 authorizes the Legislative Finance Committee to study how recent federal actions - such as executive orders, tariffs, and funding freezes - impact Montana's economy and government operations. The study will specifically examine lost federal funding (including $628 million for rural broadband projects), economic effects of tariffs (like 20% tariffs on Chinese imports), and workforce reductions affecting state agencies, schools, and local services. The committee must complete a preliminary report by January 1, 2026, with a final report by September 1, 2026, sharing findings with the governor, legislators, tribal governments, and Montana's congressional delegation. This bill does not make policy changes but directs a fact-finding process to inform future state responses.

This bill (LC 4175) modifies Montana's public works contracting rules by adding specific exceptions to the requirement that state agencies give resident contractors a preference equal to what other states offer. It allows state agencies to bypass this preference and award contracts to the second-lowest bidder if the lowest bidder has failed to perform on prior contracts, requested more than two extensions, or skipped warranty work. The bill affects state agencies awarding construction, repair, or public works contracts and the contractors bidding on those projects. It does not create new requirements but clarifies when existing resident preference rules do not apply.

This bill creates a $6 million Sawmill Revitalization Special Revenue Account, funded by a transfer from the Big Sky Economic Development Fund. The Board of Investments will provide low-interest loans (max 3%) to businesses seeking to reopen closed sawmills, prioritizing those closed within the 12 months before January 1, 2025, followed by those closed 12-36 months prior. The funds are available for fiscal year 2026, with unspent money reverting to the Big Sky Fund. The program expires December 30, 2026.

This bill prohibits Montana municipalities from requiring landowners outside city limits to change zoning (e.g., from single-family to multifamily) before connecting to municipal water or sewer systems. It directly affects property owners seeking to connect to city utilities beyond corporate boundaries. The key provision amends Montana Code Annotated 7-13-4312 to explicitly ban such zoning requirements as a condition for service. The bill also appropriates $1,000 for the Department of Environmental Quality to update related documents and takes effect July 1, 2025.

This bill amends Montana's real estate appraiser licensing law (Section 37-54-201, MCA) to clarify who may provide real estate value opinions. It prohibits firms or groups from using the title "licensed real estate appraiser" (only individuals may use it) and allows non-licensed professionals to give market value estimates for property transactions (if they don’t claim licensing). It also adds misdemeanor penalties for falsely claiming a license and clarifies that licensed appraisers must follow federal-related transaction rules. The bill appropriates $1,000 for implementation and takes effect July 1, 2025.

This bill (LC 706) establishes a regulatory framework for online fantasy sports contests in Montana. It requires operators to obtain a license from the Department of Justice, pay fees, and report financial data, while defining "fantasy sports contests" as skill-based games (not luck-based) where prizes are determined by player knowledge of athlete statistics. The law creates a tax on "internet fantasy sports contest adjusted revenues" and grants the Department of Justice authority to regulate operators, investigate violations, and impose penalties. It directly affects fantasy sports service providers seeking to operate legally in Montana and players aged 18+ participating in these contests.

This bill (LC 2375) changes Montana's judicial election rules for Supreme Court Chief Justice and Justice positions. It allows candidates to list their political party affiliation on nomination forms and have it appear on primary and general ballots, replacing the previous nonpartisan requirement. The bill also increases the filing fee for these judicial races to $1,750 and requires candidates without party affiliation to be labeled "Nonpartisan" on ballots. These changes amend Montana Code Annotated sections 13-10-202, 13-10-209, and others related to judicial elections. The policy directly affects candidates running for Montana Supreme Court judicial seats.

This bill revises Montana's capital gains tax by eliminating a preferential lower rate (3.0%) for net long-term capital gains once taxable income exceeds $1 million for married couples filing jointly or surviving spouses, or $500,000 for all other filers. It redefines "net long-term capital gains" to exclude income above these thresholds, meaning all capital gains above the limits will be taxed at the higher rate of 4.1% instead of the lower rate for the portion below the threshold. The bill also requires annual inflation adjustments to tax brackets and takes effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025. It directly affects high-income Montana taxpayers with significant capital gains income who exceed these income thresholds.

This bill requires foreign agents - individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments, corporations, or educational institutions to influence policy, elections, or government relationships - to register with Montana’s Secretary of State and pay a fee. It mandates monthly reports detailing their activities and creates exceptions for certain entities. Additionally, the bill disqualifies specific foreign corporations from receiving state economic development incentives. These changes aim to increase transparency around foreign influence on Montana’s domestic affairs, directly affecting foreign agents and qualifying foreign corporations.