Budget & Taxes (Appropriations)

died · Montana · Legislature May 23, 2025

LC 867: Provide marijuana education and prevention program appropriation

This bill (LC 867) proposed allocating state funds for a marijuana education and prevention program. It would have established a dedicated funding stream to support public education initiatives about marijuana use and prevention efforts, primarily targeting youth and community health. However, the bill was placed on hold and ultimately died in the legislative process without advancing to a vote or becoming law. No specific groups were directly affected as the bill never took effect.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly proposed allocating state funds for a marijuana education program, aligning with funding essential public health initiatives as a budgetary action.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations

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signed · Montana · House May 16, 2025

HB 6: Renewable resource grants

HB 6 implements the Renewable Resource Grant and Loan Program by appropriating funds to the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC). The bill allocates specific amounts for various grant types, including emergency projects, planning, irrigation development, private projects, and nonpoint source pollution reduction. Additionally, it appropriates $5.25 million for prioritized infrastructure grant projects to specific cities, towns, and water districts for improvements to wastewater systems, drinking water infrastructure, and stormwater control. Funds for these prioritized projects are awarded in a specified order until available money is expended.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $5.25M for infrastructure grants via DNRC, directly funding state budget priorities without tax changes.95% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyAllocates funds for renewable resource grants and infrastructure projects, directly advancing clean energy initiatives per bill title and summary.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds nonpoint source pollution reduction and wastewater infrastructure, directly advancing environmental protection through targeted grants and conservation-focused allocations.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Conservation Drinking Water Water Quality

signed · Montana · House May 16, 2025

HB 281: Provide statutory appropriation of reinsurance program assessments

This bill revises state law to provide a continuous, automatic funding mechanism for the state's reinsurance program. It designates assessments collected from members of the reinsurance association, along with any earned interest, as statutorily appropriated. This means these funds can be spent by the program's administrator, the commissioner, without requiring new legislative approval each budget cycle. The money is specifically for covering the administration, operation, and claims expenses of the reinsurance program.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAutomates funding for reinsurance program via statutory appropriation, ensuring continuous fiscal support without annual legislative approval for program expenses.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations

signed · Montana · House Apr 7, 2025

HB 3: Supplemental Appropriations Bill

HB 3 is a funding bill that allocates specific amounts to Montana state agencies for the 2024-2025 fiscal year and continues some funding into the 2025-2026 biennium. It provides $22.2 million to the Public Health and Human Services Division, $12.5 million to the State Public Defender's Conflict Division, $4.07 million to the Montana Highway Patrol, and other sums to agencies like Revenue, Corrections, and Fish and Wildlife. The bill directs these funds for existing agency operations, with unspent balances reverting to their respective funds. It became law immediately upon the governor's signature on April 7, 2025, without requiring additional legislative action. This is a routine budget measure affecting state agency operations, not a policy change impacting citizens.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $22.2M to Public Health, $12.5M to Public Defender, and other funds for essential state operations, directly supporting budget allocation and fiscal management.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllocates $12.5M to State Public Defender's Conflict Division, directly funding indigent defense and defendants' rights in criminal justice system.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationAllocates $4.07M to Montana Highway Patrol (transportation safety agency) for road safety operations, directly funding transportation infrastructure maintenance.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Roads & Highways

introduced · Montana · Legislature Apr 14, 2025

LC 4273: House resolution for legislators to offset appropriations in introduced bills by identifying the programs from which funds are to be reallocated in the same bill

This resolution requires Montana legislators to identify specific existing programs whose funding will be reduced when introducing bills that include new spending. If a bill proposes new expenditures, it must specify which current programs will have funds reallocated to cover the cost, rather than adding new spending without offsetting cuts. The resolution is procedural - it doesn’t change actual budgets but sets a rule for how bills are drafted to promote fiscal accountability. It applies to all House bills containing new appropriations, aiming to ensure every new spending request includes a clear funding source within the same bill.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRequires offsetting new spending with specific program cuts to promote fiscal accountability, aligning with budget responsibility indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Audits & Accountability State Budget

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died · Montana · Legislature May 20, 2025

LC 2231: Prohibit judicial rulings that impose a tax burden absent legislative approval

This bill requires Montana's legislature to approve any new property tax levy used to pay court judgments against local governments or school districts. It directly affects counties, cities, and school districts that might need to raise property taxes to cover court-ordered payments (e.g., after losing a lawsuit). The key provision states that such tax levies cannot be imposed without legislative action - either through an appropriation or specific legislation permitting the levy - unless payment is made via insurance or existing funds. The bill does not change how insurance or existing budgets cover judgments, only the process for new tax increases to satisfy court rulings.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesRestricts local governments from imposing property tax levies for court judgments without legislative approval, limiting unilateral tax actions under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Property Tax

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died · Montana · Legislature May 20, 2025

LC 3096: Resolution regarding state government spending

This bill requires Montana legislators to identify specific existing programs that will lose funding to cover any new spending proposed in a bill. If a bill includes a new appropriation (funding request), it must specify which programs' funds will be reallocated to offset the cost within the same bill. It applies directly to all members of the Montana Legislature drafting bills with new spending proposals. The resolution aims to promote fiscal accountability by ensuring new expenditures are balanced with reallocation from current programs, rather than adding to the state budget without offsetting changes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRequires reallocation of existing funds to offset new spending, promoting fiscal accountability as stated in the resolution's purpose.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Government Spending State Budget

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died · Montana · Legislature May 22, 2025

LC 683: Generally revise state finance laws to provide zero base budgeting

This bill (LC 683) proposed replacing the state's traditional budgeting approach with zero-based budgeting, requiring all state agencies to justify every expense annually instead of carrying over prior-year funding. It would have directly affected state agencies, budget committees, and legislators responsible for allocating funds. The bill died in process on May 22, 2025, and never became law, so these changes were never implemented.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRequires annual justification of all state expenses, promoting fiscal responsibility in budget management per zero-based budgeting framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 376: Require state agencies to provide timely information to legislators

HB 376 would have required state agencies to provide information requested by legislators within 5 legislative days during a session. If an agency failed to respond, a legislator could file a complaint with the appropriations committee. This committee would then hold a hearing and could vote to reduce the agency's budget by up to 5%. The hearing's outcome would be shared with the Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker, allowing for potential disciplinary action against the agency director.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill uses budget reductions (up to 5%) as enforcement for agency responsiveness, promoting fiscal accountability in appropriations management per subjects listed.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Tags Government Transparency

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signed · Montana · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4: Appropriations by budget amendment

HB 4 is a procedural budget amendment bill that allows unspent funds from Montana’s fiscal year 2025 appropriations to continue into future fiscal years (2026-2027) for specific programs. It directly affects state agencies like the Judiciary, Department of Justice, Public Instruction, and Fish/Wildlife/Parks by extending authority for existing initiatives, such as treatment courts, election security grants, school relief funds, and wildlife monitoring projects. The bill’s key mechanism is permitting carryover of unused budget authority without new legislative action, ensuring continuity for ongoing programs. As a procedural budget measure, it does not create new spending but adjusts timing for existing allocations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExtends unspent funds to maintain existing programs (treatment courts, school relief) without new taxes or cuts, aligning with fiscal responsibility and funding continuity.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget