This bill updates Montana's Department of Commerce laws to clarify how lodging facility use tax revenue is collected and distributed across various state programs. It establishes specific percentages of tax proceeds that must be allocated to agencies including the Montana Historical Society, University System, Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks, and regional tourism corporations to support historical preservation, travel research, park maintenance, and tourism marketing. The legislation also expands the Emergency Lodging for Victims of Domestic Violence or Human Trafficking program by making it permanent and increasing its funding share from the tax revenue. Additionally, it creates conditions where funds may be redirected to nonprofit convention and visitors bureaus in certain areas or used for state tourism promotion if regional tourism corporations fail to submit approved marketing plans.
This bill establishes Montana's Academic Prosperity Program for Scholars (MAPPS), a voluntary program allowing parents to use income tax credits to fund private education expenses for eligible students. The program creates a council to oversee operations and a program manager to administer tax credits for donations and qualified education expenses, which can include private school tuition or other instructional costs. Participating parents gain flexibility to direct their children's education while schools must transfer student records, and the program operates alongside the state's existing public school funding system.
This bill establishes a new program in Montana to help child care facilities recruit and keep qualified staff by providing financial support payments. Administered by the Department of Public Health and Human Services, the program allocates $59.9 million for each of the fiscal years 2025 and 2026 to eligible licensed day care centers, group day care homes, and family day care homes. Payments are distributed monthly based on the number of workers employed and can be used for wage supplements, benefits, signing bonuses, longevity bonuses, facility costs, equipment, professional development, and mental health support for children in family day care homes. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2025, and designates the funding as part of the ongoing base for future legislative sessions.
This bill revises Montana's income tax rules to better align state taxation with federal tax treatment for military pensions, retirement benefits, and survivor benefits. It expands the exemption for certain individuals who became Montana residents or remained residents after a specific date, removes a previous five-year limit on claiming this exemption, and eliminates a statutory sunset provision that would have ended the exemption. The legislation also amends existing tax code sections to clarify how various military-related income items are calculated for state tax purposes, ensuring consistency with federal tax definitions. These changes directly affect Montana residents receiving military retirement income and their dependents, providing more permanent tax relief without changing the fundamental structure of the state income tax system.
This bill establishes a new grant program called the Farm to Food Bank Act, which would be administered by the Montana Department of Agriculture to support local food initiatives. The program provides funding to regional food hubs that purchase Montana-grown food items like fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy products and distribute them to food pantries serving low-income consumers. Grants are awarded through a competitive process that prioritizes applicants who can reach underserved communities, particularly in rural areas and on tribal reservations, while ensuring purchased food supplements rather than replaces existing food bank nutrition programs. The bill creates a special state revenue account to fund these grants and allows recipients to use up to 20% of award amounts for administrative costs.
This bill proposes amending the Montana Constitution to require that sales tax and use tax revenue be used to reduce property taxes for public schools and the Montana University System. The amendment would only allow the legislature to redirect these funds to other purposes if it receives a three-fourths vote from each house. If approved by voters, the change would take effect on July 1, 2027, and would limit the statewide sales tax rate to 4%. The measure requires a two-thirds legislative vote to pass and would be placed on the November 2026 ballot for public approval.
This bill creates a dedicated funding account for regional rail authorities in Montana by allocating a portion of rental car sales and use tax revenue. The money will be distributed annually by the Department of Transportation to rail authorities established before January 1, 2025, and can be used for administrative costs, matching federal grants, and developing cooperative transportation relationships. Funds may also support planning, designing, and operating rail projects that improve safety and connectivity between train stations, airports, roads, and other transit systems, including exploring north-south rail service corridors. The legislation amends existing state statutes to establish these distribution requirements and funding purposes.
This bill creates a grant program to help nonprofit organizations build or improve permanent supportive housing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The Montana Department of Commerce would manage the program and distribute up to $75 million in grants for acquiring, constructing, or rehabilitating housing that includes long-term leases and on-site support services like mental health care, addiction recovery, and employment assistance. Funding comes from a new state account established by transferring $50 million from the general fund and $25 million from the behavioral health system for future generations fund, with grants awarded based on submitted proposals and adherence to specific project conditions.
This bill creates a new vending machine account within Montana's state special revenue fund to be managed by the Department of Public Health and Human Services. The department will collect a percentage of income from vending machines on federal and state property not operated by blind vendors and deposit those funds into the account. Money in the account is statutorily appropriated, meaning it can be used without needing separate annual legislative approval, and must be spent only for purposes consistent with federal law. The bill also updates state law to include this new account in the list of laws that contain statutory appropriations.
This Montana joint resolution expresses concern that federal debt and deficit spending are harming the state and nation, urging Congress to address these fiscal issues. The document highlights specific statistics about rising national debt, interest payments, and inflation, then calls for Congress to adopt disciplined fiscal rules like a balanced budget amendment and a gold-linked dollar. It also requests that other state legislatures send similar resolutions to Congress and directs copies to Montana's congressional delegation and state governors. This is a non-binding legislative statement rather than a law that changes policy directly.
