Sen. Becky Beard

Maddy summarySB 102 limits annual revenue growth for specific education levies in Montana. It caps the increase in property tax revenue from state school equalization levies and vocational-technical education levies at no more than 3% above the previous year's total. The bill also prevents school districts from carrying forward unused mill authority (property tax rate authority) for these specific levies. This directly affects school districts that rely on these levies for funding, ensuring their revenue growth cannot exceed 3% annually without voter approval. The policy change applies to the calculation method for these levies as outlined in Montana law.

Maddy summarySB 98 proposes to revise Montana's tax rate for cigarettes intended to be heated but not burned (e.g., e-cigarettes or heat-not-burn products), currently set at 85 cents per 20-cigarette package. The bill would amend existing tax law to adjust this rate, affecting tobacco wholesalers, retailers, and consumers purchasing these products. It also includes provisions for tax-free sales to tribal members on reservations, requiring wholesalers to apply for refunds based on tribal quotas. The bill died in committee on May 23, 2025, and never became law, with its provisions intended to apply to sales after June 30, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 263 would revise Montana's rules about state ownership of water rights used on state trust lands. It directly affects water right owners and land lessees who divert water from private land to benefit state lands under a lease. Key provisions require the state department to seek board authorization before claiming ownership of such water rights, provide 180 days' notice to affected owners, and hold a public hearing where owners can present arguments against the claim. The bill also mandates the department report all water rights it has claimed since 1982 to the board. The bill died in committee in May 2025 and did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 4 changes how Montana taxes the land beneath a home on qualifying agricultural property. It requires the first acre of land under a residence on eligible farm property to be valued at market rate but exempts it from tax up to the statewide average value for similar homesites. This primarily affects homeowners living on agricultural land who qualify for special farm tax treatment under Montana law. The exemption reduces their property tax burden specifically on that 1-acre parcel, rather than the entire farm.

Maddy summarySB 540 revises Montana's property tax rules for "class 17 property," specifically targeting dedicated telecommunications infrastructure like fiber optic and coaxial cable. It provides a 5-year tax exemption for new fiber/coaxial cable installations placed in service after July 1, 2021, with the exemption phasing out over 10 years (20% annually). To maintain the exemption, owners must reinvest the tax savings into new Montana cable installations within 2 years without passing costs to consumers. Federal-funded projects (e.g., under the American Rescue Plan) are excluded from the exemption, and owners must keep records for state review. The bill directly affects telecom infrastructure owners and operators in Montana.

Maddy summarySB 100 establishes new rules for Medicaid payments in Montana's assisted living facilities. It requires the state agency to adjust room and board costs annually based on recipients' income (minus a $100 personal needs allowance) and directs the shift of Medicaid-covered assisted living services from the current "Big Sky Waiver" program to the federal "Community First Choice" program by 2026. The bill mandates quarterly reporting on service usage, waitlists, and costs for both programs. It affects Medicaid-eligible seniors receiving assisted living care, ensuring payments align with income and streamlining service delivery under federal Medicaid options.

Maddy summarySB 215 revises Montana's public school funding system by redefining the "basic system of free quality public schools" to explicitly include open enrollment, student achievement tracking, and transparency in spending. It requires the legislature to consider specific factors when setting funding - such as student needs (including special education, English learners, and American Indian students), school density, and teacher retention - while mandating that funding follows students across district lines during open enrollment. The bill also directs the funding formula to use current-year enrollment data, include annual cost-of-living adjustments, and clearly show how funds impact student outcomes. These changes apply to all public school districts in Montana, aiming to make funding more equitable and accountable.

Maddy summarySB 146, the "Private Property Protection Act," would have limited Montana government actions restricting private property use to only those demonstrably necessary for public health or safety. It would allow property owners to challenge restrictions (like zoning rules or fees) in court if they fail to meet strict standards, requiring governments to prove the restriction is the least restrictive option for a compelling public interest. The bill directly affects private property owners and local/state governments by creating a legal process for contesting regulations. However, it died in the legislative process in May 2025 and never became law.

Maddy summarySB 145 would have required education membership organizations and associations (like school district groups or teacher associations) that receive public funding to hold public meetings and make their records accessible to the public, following the same standards as government entities. It directly affects these education groups, mandating transparency similar to public government meetings. The bill’s key provision, if enacted, would have required all meetings and records of such organizations to be open to the public. However, the bill died in process in May 2025 after failing to advance beyond committee.

Maddy summarySB 99 amends Montana tax law to treat certain rental and accommodations income earned by tax-exempt organizations as "unrelated business income" subject to taxation. This affects nonprofits and other exempt groups that previously did not pay tax on such income, including short-term rentals or property leasing activities. The bill creates new reporting requirements for these organizations and specifies how to calculate the tax based on Montana’s existing tax rates and sourcing rules. It modifies existing statutes to clarify that this income must now be included in taxable income calculations, rather than remaining exempt. The change applies to income generated from business activities unrelated to the organization’s exempt purpose.