HB 538 revises state laws governing the 9-1-1 emergency telephone system. It expands the 9-1-1 advisory council by one member and clarifies its role in advising the department on fee allocation, grants, and statewide planning. The bill updates the department's duties, including administering 9-1-1 funds, maintaining a statewide plan for current and next-generation technologies, and monitoring expenditures by local and tribal governments operating public safety answering points. It also directs the department to adopt rules for fund distribution, grant awards, and technology standards to ensure effective 9-1-1 services across the state.
SB 428 revises how local authorities and county commissions can set speed limits on roads. It allows local authorities to adjust speed limits in various areas, such as urban districts, outside urban districts, and school zones, typically requiring an engineering and traffic investigation. A key change is that boards of county commissioners can now set certain decreased speed limits on county roads, including in school zones, without first conducting an engineering and traffic investigation. The bill also specifies signage requirements for altered limits and mandates consultation with relevant bodies for school zones.
HB 242 revises the fines associated with illegally transporting aquatic invasive species in Montana. The bill increases the maximum fine for negligently violating related rules to $1,000 for a first offense and $1,500 for subsequent offenses. It also doubles the maximum fine for purposely or knowingly violating these rules to $1,950. These changes affect individuals who transport vessels or engage in activities regulated by aquatic invasive species management areas.
House Bill 162 revises the definition of "infrastructure" for communities that levy a resort tax. This bill expands the types of projects that can be funded by a resort tax to include "workforce and community housing projects." Previously, resort tax funds for infrastructure were primarily allocated to traditional public services like water, sewer, roads, and public safety. This change allows resort communities and areas to utilize resort tax revenue for housing initiatives.
House Bill 171 eliminates the Montana Alfalfa Seed Committee and transfers all its duties and responsibilities to the Department of Agriculture. This change affects the alfalfa seed industry by making the Department of Agriculture responsible for regulating alfalfa leaf-cutting bees, including certification, quarantine, and setting standards for bees and equipment. The bill also requires the Department of Agriculture to hold a public meeting every two years to review the continuation of the alfalfa seed assessment.
SB 342 changes the process for appointing and directing the state's Court Administrator. This bill grants the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court the sole authority to appoint the Court Administrator. It also specifies that the Court Administrator serves at the pleasure of the Chief Justice and carries out their duties, such as administering the judicial branch personnel plan and preparing budget requests, under the Chief Justice's direction. This act takes effect immediately and applies retroactively to current court administrators.
HB 338 revises Montana laws related to early education interventions for students. The bill expands the focus of these targeted support programs to include early numeracy (math skills) in addition to early literacy (reading skills). It also provides greater flexibility in evaluating children to determine their eligibility for these interventions and updates related reporting requirements.
HB 726 revises the laws governing surety bail bond insurance. It changes the minimum age for a surety bail bond license from 21 to 18, adds requirements for U.S. citizenship or lawful work status, and specifies new disqualifications for licensure. The bill reduces the required initial training hours for agents and introduces mandatory biennial continuing education. Additionally, it requires surety bail bond producers to disclose all fees and interest charged beyond the minimum premium, with acknowledgment from all parties to the contract.
SB 246 establishes new rules for how Montana governmental bodies can purchase food products. It allows for the direct purchase of food produced in Montana, rather than requiring standard bidding procedures, if certain conditions are met. These conditions include the Montana-produced food being of equivalent quality and sufficient quantity, and its bid not exceeding or only reasonably exceeding the lowest bid for out-of-state products without needing additional budget. The bill also requires the state department to adopt rules for this purchasing method and establish reporting requirements for these food procurements.
SB 289 requires the Department of Revenue to notify counties and municipalities when the preliminary market value of a property in their area decreases by more than $1.5 million since the last reappraisal. This electronic notice, which must include both prior and preliminary market values, is sent around the same time the property owner receives their appraisal notice. The bill aims to inform local governments about significant property valuation changes that could affect their tax base. Upon request, the Department of Revenue must meet with the county and provide public information used for the valuation. This requirement does not apply to class four residential properties.
SB 282 revises state and local government's ability to obtain and use electronic communications and data from electronic devices. The bill prohibits governmental entities from purchasing various types of electronic data, such as geolocation or sensitive data, without a search warrant or investigative subpoena. It generally requires a search warrant to obtain stored data from an electronic device or to compel disclosure of electronic communications from service providers, though exceptions exist for situations like owner consent or emergencies. Evidence obtained in violation of these provisions would be inadmissible, and collected communications must be deleted after the conclusion of criminal proceedings.
SB 276 revises Montana's voter identification laws to streamline requirements for casting ballots. It removes the option for voters to claim a "reasonable impediment" when unable to show ID, requiring instead that voters present one of several acceptable forms of identification (such as a Montana driver's license, tribal ID, military ID, or utility bill with address) to receive a regular ballot. For provisional voting, voters must now provide valid ID within 24 hours after the election to have their ballot counted. The bill directly affects all Montana voters participating in person or by mail, updating procedures in sections 13-13-114, 13-13-602, and 13-15-107 of Montana law.
