This resolution confirms Governor's appointment of Christy Clark as Director of Montana's Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. It does not create new policies or affect the public; it simply formalizes the governor's existing appointment, which was submitted to the Senate on March 25, 2025, per Montana law. The Senate's action is procedural, requiring no new legislation or changes to existing laws.
This resolution confirms the Governor's appointment of Amanda Kaster as Director of Montana's Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. It does not create new policy but formally approves the Governor's selection for this specific leadership role, requiring Senate consent as required by law. The appointment is effective immediately upon Senate confirmation.
This resolution confirms four appointments to Montana's Coal Board made by the Governor on February 19, 2025. It formally approves Hal Fuglevand, Catherine Laughner, Scott Rosenthal, and Jon Wells to serve three-year terms ending January 3, 2029. The Senate's approval follows Montana law requiring legislative consent for these appointments, directly affecting the Coal Board's membership and its oversight of coal-related matters in the state.
This bill requires Montana's Insurance Commissioner to create a free, searchable website listing all licensed insurance companies and agents. The site must organize listings by insurance type (like auto or home), include search functions, and display the list in a randomized order daily. It prohibits fees for insurers to be listed, advertising on the site, or the commissioner accepting compensation to promote specific companies. The state appropriates $10,000 to fund this website's development and maintenance. The primary effect is to help consumers easily find and compare insurance options.
This bill requires Montana state agencies, including the Department of Revenue, Department of Labor and Industry, and Department of Military Affairs, to submit detailed written reports to the general government budget committee every three months. The reports cover specific topics like implementation status of other bills (e.g., HB 56 on cannabis, HB 718 on incarcerated education), budgeting, hiring, property management, and funding use. It also removes the Department of Military Affairs' authority to carry forward unspent funds for the biennium and amends a state code section on disposal of unexpended appropriations. These provisions aim to increase transparency and oversight of state spending and agency operations.
This joint resolution requests an interim study on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Montana, to be completed by September 15, 2026. The study will examine PFAS sources, health risks (including exposure through water, food, and products), and potential solutions like environmental remediation and product restrictions. Findings must be reported to the 70th Legislature to inform future policy decisions. The resolution does not create new laws but directs the Legislative Council to investigate PFAS impacts on Montanans' health and environment.
This bill amends Montana law to clarify that nonprofit organizations can develop and manage "attainable workforce housing" on state trust lands through commercial leases. It updates the definition of "commercial purpose" to explicitly include nonprofit residential development for working-class housing, such as single-family or multifamily projects under a master lease. The change allows nonprofits to lease state lands for this specific housing purpose, while excluding agriculture, grazing, oil/gas development, and individual home sites. This is a technical clarification of existing leasing rules, not a new housing program, directly affecting nonprofits seeking to build affordable housing on state lands.
This bill reclassifies certain wind energy facilities from Property Tax Class Fourteen to Class Thirteen in Montana. Currently, wind facilities are excluded from Class Seven (taxed at 8%) but fall under a higher-tier classification; this change moves them to Class Thirteen, which is taxed at 6% of market value. The bill amends Montana Code Annotated sections 15-6-137 and 15-6-156 to explicitly include wind generation facilities under Class Thirteen’s tax rate. This directly affects wind energy facility owners by reducing their property tax burden from 8% to 6%. The change applies immediately and retroactively, affecting existing facilities without requiring new construction.
This bill (LC 4220) implements provisions from House Bill 2 by amending Montana law to increase district court judge staffing in specific judicial districts (e.g., adding judges to the 2nd, 7th, 16th, 20th, and 21st districts). It requires the Department of Corrections to submit quarterly reports on electronic communications at Montana State Prison, including blocked messages and system audit results. The bill also directs two interim committees to study offender re-entry services (to assess costs, programs, and recidivism) and legal services consolidation (to compare pay rates and propose a unified legal services unit). These studies must conclude by September 2026 with recommendations for the next legislative session. Additionally, it updates legal representation requirements for indigent parents in child abuse and neglect cases.
This joint resolution requests an interim study to examine transferring responsibility for creating fiscal notes (which estimate a bill's cost to state or local government) from Montana's executive branch (currently handled by the budget director) to the legislative branch. The study would assess potential benefits and drawbacks of this change, including how it might affect budget analysis processes. The study must conclude by September 15, 2026, and its findings reported to the 70th Legislature. This is a procedural request for analysis only - it does not change current law or implement any new policy.
This non-binding resolution encourages Montana school districts to provide cursive writing instruction to students, starting at a developmentally appropriate age and continuing through their education. It does not mandate or fund cursive instruction but urges schools to include it so students can read historical documents (like the Declaration of Independence), sign documents, and benefit from cognitive development linked to learning cursive. The resolution directs Montana's Secretary of State to send copies to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Board of Public Education, and all public school boards. It directly affects Montana's public school districts and their curriculum decisions.
This joint resolution (LC 4369) requests the Montana Legislature to conduct an interim study on public participation in legislative processes. The study will examine the new website and bill-tracking system, assess public comment mechanisms, review testimony procedures, and identify accessibility improvements for Montanans with disabilities. It specifically aims to address challenges with the recent website redesign and ensure consistent, accessible engagement opportunities. The committee must complete the study and report findings to the 70th Legislature by September 2026.
