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.
HB 654 aims to support and expand early literacy targeted intervention programs within school districts. The bill clarifies how school districts can count students participating in these programs, including those offered in partnership with community organizations, for Average Number Belonging (ANB) calculations, which affects state funding. It also proposes creating a temporary grant program to help districts establish or expand classroom-based early literacy intervention initiatives.
This bill creates a new property tax classification for manufacturing facilities in Montana, affecting land and improvements used to transform materials into new products or assemble components for non-construction purposes. The legislation establishes that manufacturing property will be taxed at 1.47% of its market value, with specific rules for determining classification when a parcel contains mixed uses. The changes apply to property tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and would impact businesses operating manufacturing operations in the state.
HB 617 proposes that the Montana Attorney General must seek public input before engaging in litigation where the state has an interest. It requires the Attorney General to publish a statement of intent, including projected costs, at least 10 business days prior to initiating such litigation. The bill mandates a public hearing to allow citizens to comment on the proposed legal action. The Attorney General would then need to consider and respond to these public comments before making a final decision to proceed with the litigation.
HB 327 proposes a legislative referendum that, if approved by Montana voters, would authorize the state legislature to establish a program to return excess state revenue to resident income taxpayers. This bill grants the legislature the ability to create such a program, outlining considerations like the amount of revenue that triggers refunds, how they are calculated, and eligibility requirements. The proposed act would be submitted to qualified electors for approval at the November 2026 general election.
