Housing

signed · Montana · House Jun 12, 2025

HB 810: Revise tenant landlord laws

HB 810 prohibits Montana landlords from charging extra fees based on how tenants pay rent (e.g., credit card or online payments), except to cover actual bank fees incurred for electronic payments. It defines "rent payment type" to include cash, checks, electronic methods, or other agreed-upon forms. The law directly affects all Montana tenants and landlords by standardizing payment terms in rental agreements. It amends existing tenant-landlord statutes to eliminate discriminatory fees while clarifying acceptable payment methods.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingProhibits discriminatory fees for rent payment methods, protecting tenants from added costs and strengthening tenant rights under landlord-tenant law.92% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 154: Establish a housing fairness tax credit

HB 154 would have created a new tax credit for Montana renters and homeowners with household incomes under $150,000. The credit would equal 75% of either property taxes paid (for homeowners) or 15% of rent paid (for renters), minus an income-based percentage (ranging from 1% to 9.5%). To qualify, residents needed to have lived in Montana for at least 9 months and occupied a home or rental for 6 months during the tax year. The bill died in committee in May 2025 without becoming law.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax credit reducing burden for renters/homeowners under $150k income, aligning with tax relief for middle/lower income.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill provides tax credit reducing housing costs for low-income renters/homeowners, directly advancing affordable housing access and financial relief for qualifying residents.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 274: Provide medicaid coverage for medical respite care for homeless people

HB 274 sought to establish a medical respite care program in Montana for homeless individuals who are eligible for Medicaid. This program would have provided short-term housing in residential facilities with supportive medical services for those recovering from illness or injury but not requiring hospitalization. Services would have included treatment plan monitoring, medication management, immunizations, discharge planning, and transportation for medical appointments. The bill directed the Department of Public Health and Human Services to seek federal approval for the program and to report annually on its costs and the number of individuals served.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly expands Medicaid coverage for medical respite care, providing health services to homeless individuals and improving access to recovery support.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill provides short-term housing via medical respite care for homeless individuals, directly addressing homelessness and advancing housing access for vulnerable populations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 761: Revise laws regarding residential covenants

HB 761 revises laws regarding residential property covenants, aiming to protect property owners' rights. It prevents the enforcement of any new or amended restrictions on property use that are more restrictive than those that existed when the owner acquired the property, unless the owner provides express written consent. Owners claiming this protection must record their exception with the county clerk. The bill clarifies how these protections apply to successor owners and maintains the validity of existing covenants, except for newly imposed, more restrictive terms without consent.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly protects property owners' rights regarding residential covenants, directly addressing 'property rights' within the housing topic as defined.95% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 310: Establish grant program to increase community shelter capacity for homeless population

HB 310 proposed establishing a state matching grant program to increase community shelter capacity for the homeless population. Administered by the Department of Public Health and Human Services, these grants would help local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations. The funds would specifically target services for senior citizens, veterans, survivors of domestic violence, youth transitioning from foster care, and individuals with mental health or substance use disorders. Applicants would be required to provide matching funds and collaborate with existing homelessness service providers. The bill appropriated $2 million from the general fund for the program, which was set to operate from July 2025 to June 2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes state matching grants (approp) for homeless shelter capacity, increasing public funding for essential social services targeting vulnerable populations.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly targets mental health services for homeless individuals with mental health disorders through state grant program.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill establishes state grants to increase homeless shelter capacity, directly funding housing services for vulnerable groups including seniors, veterans, and those with mental health needs, addressing homelessness.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill explicitly targets veterans as a primary beneficiary group for grant-funded shelter services under the community shelter program, directly advancing veteran support through funding.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 524: Remove boarding and rooming houses from lodging requirements

HB 524 aimed to remove boardinghouses and roominghouses from certain state public health and safety requirements currently applied to hotels and motels. The bill proposed revising definitions within the Montana Code Annotated to exempt these types of residential establishments from those specific lodging regulations. This change would alter the regulatory oversight for operators of boardinghouses and roominghouses, distinguishing them from other commercial lodging facilities.

Topics ✗ HousingOpposes HousingRemoves health/safety requirements from boarding houses, weakening tenant protections per bill's regulatory exemption85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Housing

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 776: Generally revise residential landlord and tenant laws

HB 776 aimed to generally revise laws governing residential landlord and tenant relationships. The bill would have required property management companies to provide 90 days' notice to tenants for any changes to or termination of a rental agreement, specifically for tenancies exceeding one year. It also proposed updates to various definitions relevant to landlord-tenant interactions, including "property management company" and "case of emergency." Additionally, it would have adjusted the notice requirements for extending written rental agreements.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires 90-day notice for lease changes/termination, strengthening tenant protections against sudden housing disruptions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 304: Revise security deposit laws to provide tenants more information and time

HB 304 revises residential tenant security deposit laws, directly affecting both landlords and tenants. The bill requires landlords to provide tenants with an itemized written notice of any unaccomplished cleaning and estimated costs before deducting cleaning charges from a security deposit. Tenants are then given 48 hours, extended from 24, to complete the necessary cleaning. Additionally, the bill prohibits landlords from charging a fee for inspecting the cleaning tenants have completed within this timeframe.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill strengthens tenant protections by requiring itemized cleaning notices and extending 48-hour window to address deductions, directly advancing tenant rights under housing topic.90% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 21: Establish a Montana workforce housing tax credit

HB 21 proposes to establish a Montana workforce housing tax credit for taxpayers owning an interest in qualified low-income housing projects. Beginning in 2026, these taxpayers could claim the credit against their income or insurance premium taxes for a six-year period, with unused portions carried forward. The Board of Housing would allocate these credits, up to $1.5 million annually, using a qualified allocation plan. The bill defines "qualified project" as a low-income building under federal law and adds this new credit to the list of tax credits subject to legislative review.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax credit for low-income housing projects, offering relief to taxpayers and funding affordable housing initiatives under tax policy.92% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingEstablishes tax credit for low-income housing projects, directly funding workforce housing development per federal standards.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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signed · Montana · House May 19, 2025

HB 492: Revise municipal zoning laws related to parking requirements

HB 492 revises municipal zoning laws by setting new limits on the minimum parking space requirements local governments can impose on new developments. The bill generally caps required parking for residential units at one space per unit and for commercial spaces at one space per 5,000 square feet, with specific exemptions for certain types of projects like affordable housing or smaller commercial spaces. If a city or town chooses to require more parking than these new limits, it must compensate the developer or property owner for the real cost of constructing the additional spaces. This legislation directly affects municipal zoning authorities and developers within those areas.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingExempts affordable housing from parking mandates, reducing development costs and advancing affordable housing goals through zoning reform.85% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent