HB 522 aimed to establish new laws regarding pesticide warning labels and liability. It placed a duty on manufacturers, marketers, distributors, retailers, and sellers of pesticides to warn consumers and the public about associated risks. This duty would be considered satisfied if the pesticide's label was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under federal law and the pesticide was registered with both the EPA and the state's department of agriculture. Under these conditions, liability for failing to warn would not arise. The bill would apply to legal actions that originate after its effective date.
HB 298 revises local election laws concerning the approval or disapproval of marijuana businesses, primarily impacting municipalities and their residents. The bill proposes that a municipal election to allow or prohibit marijuana businesses may only be held in municipalities with a population greater than 5,000 people. This change would restrict smaller municipalities from holding their own elections on whether to permit various categories of marijuana businesses within their limits. It also clarifies how county-level elections on marijuana businesses interact with municipalities located within those counties.
HB 748 sought to revise the marijuana possession and purchase limits for registered medical marijuana cardholders in Montana. The bill proposed increasing the amount of usable marijuana a cardholder could possess from 1 ounce to 5 ounces. It also aimed to raise both the maximum monthly and daily purchase limits for these cardholders from 1 ounce to 5 ounces. The legislation maintained the existing process for cardholders to petition for an exception to the monthly limit if confirmed by their physician.
HB 489, titled the "Local Option Property Tax Relief Act," would have allowed consolidated city-counties or counties to implement a local sales tax. This tax, requiring voter approval and capped at 4%, would apply to specific goods and services, excluding items like medical supplies and SNAP-eligible food products. The revenue generated from this local option tax would be specifically used to provide property tax relief for primary residences and long-term rental properties. A portion of the revenue would also be distributed to local governments that do not levy the tax.
HB 697 clarifies that public employees in Montana do not have an expectation of privacy in electronic communications sent or received through systems provided and managed by their public agency. This means that any communications, including personal ones, made using public agency equipment are subject to public records laws and agency policies. As a result, public agencies would not be required to review these communications for privacy implications when responding to public information requests.
House Bill 639 aimed to generally revise existing gambling laws in the state. The bill proposed to expand the definition of "internet gambling" to include online casinos and transactions involving cryptocurrency. It also sought to revise the procedures for how fines collected from gambling violations are disposed of, directing them to the Department of Justice. Additionally, the legislation intended to update the criminal penalties associated with gambling offenses, affecting individuals and entities involved in gambling activities.
HB 134 revises the existing Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) Crimestoppers program. This bill would allow the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to offer financial rewards and "reward permits" as incentives. These new provisions aim to encourage the public to provide information that assists in the prosecution of FWP-related crimes.
HB 802 aimed to revise Montana's zoning laws concerning the rental of primary residences. The bill stipulated that county and municipal zoning regulations could not prohibit the short-term rental of a property owner's primary residence, an accessory dwelling unit on the same parcel, or a residence on a neighboring lot. A "primary residence" was defined as a dwelling occupied by the owner for at least 183 days annually. This measure would have established these specific short-term rentals as permissible uses, limiting local government authority to ban them.
HB 420 sought to revise laws concerning property tax liens and tax deeds, impacting property owners with delinquent taxes and other interested parties. The bill proposed extending the time allowed for interested parties to redeem a property and introduced an "equity threshold," which would prevent a tax deed from being issued unless the tax delinquency surpassed a specific value relative to the property's equity. It also aimed to provide additional notices to interested parties, require real-time online bidding for tax lien sales, and establish procedures for distributing surplus funds from sales as unclaimed property. Additionally, the bill redefined certain property types eligible for increased protections.
HB 894 proposes to revise the method for appraising property for tax purposes in Montana. For most taxable property, its market value would be determined by calculating an average of its market value over a 10-year period. This calculation would specifically exclude the highest and lowest yearly values from that decade. This change directly affects property owners by altering the valuation method used for their property tax assessments.
HB 751 proposed to change the election process for Supreme Court Justices and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. It would have required these judicial candidates to be nominated and elected on a partisan ballot, aligning their elections with other partisan offices. The bill also would have allowed candidates for these positions to accept political endorsements and contributions from political parties. Candidates who chose not to affiliate with a political party would appear on the ballot as "undisclosed," with a limit of one such candidate advancing to the general election. Additionally, for incumbent justices running for retention, their political party designation would be included on the ballot.
House Bill 649 proposes establishing a "Farm to Food Bank Grant Program" to be administered by the Department of Agriculture. This program would offer competitive grants to organizations, such as regional food hubs, to purchase Montana-grown food products directly from farmers and ranchers. These purchased items, including fruits, vegetables, and meats, would then be distributed to food pantries across the state. The goal is to provide fresh, local food to low-income consumers while creating a new market for Montana producers, with a preference for applicants serving rural and tribal communities. The bill appropriates $3 million to fund the program for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025.
