LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 040519
April 5, 2019
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
APRIL 5, 2019
HB 2 – Governor’s Budget – The budget passed Senate Finance and Claims. The bill was heard on the Senate floor Thursday and is headed for 3rd reading. The conservation district funding remains intact.
HB 6 – Renewable Resource Grants: This bill is headed to the Senate floor.
HB 7 – Reclamation and Development Grants: This bill is headed to the Senate floor.
HB 8 – Renewable Resource Bonds & Loans: Waiting on Executive Action in Senate Finance and Claims subcommittee.
HB 11 – Treasure State Regional Water Program: This bill is headed to the Senate floor.
HB52 – Revise and Make Permanent Funding for Various Economic Programs – sponsored by Representative Jim Keane: The original bill moves the Conservation District, State Library, and Agriculture funding from the Coal Tax Trust Fund to the Department of Commerce for economic development. The sponsor offered a grey bill which included the amendment for the drafting error moving the coal tax trust money from CDs. This bill was heard in Senate Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs on 4/5/19.
HB 56 – Revise and clarify voluntary clean-up laws – sponsored by Rep. Jim Keane: The bill was a clarification piece extending the deadlines to allow for sufficient time to complete groundwater projects. The Governor has signed this bill.
HB 132 – Clarify Definition of Bison – sponsored by Ken Holmlund: Revised the definition of wild bison; qualifiers include: the animal has never been owned before, the animal has never been subjected to per capita tax, and the animals have never been in captivity. The bill has been sent to the Governor for signature.
HB 142 – Revise County Weed Laws – sponsored by Rep. Joshua Kassmier: This bill introduces the concept of integrated weed management. The Governor signed this bill.
HB 229 – Clarify Dinosaur Bones and Fossils are Part of Surface Estate – sponsored by Rep. Bradley Hamlett: This bill clarified that dinosaur fossils are not owned by the entity with the mineral rights; they are owned by the surface right owner. The bill passed and is headed for signature by the Governor.
HB 300 – State Sales Tax Bill – sponsored by Rep. Kerry White: The bill has been tabled by the Taxation Committee.
HB 328 – Exempting Conservation Districts from Certain Fees – sponsored by Rep. Alan Redfield: This bill exempts CDs from the DEQ 401 permit fee requirement. This bill returned from enrolling and should be off to the House Speaker for signature.
HB 383 – Extend Deadline for Appeal of a Stream Permit – sponsored by Rep. Kerry White: This bill changes the appeal timeframe from 15 to 60 days. The meeting with the sponsor went very well. Rep. White agreed to accept a 30-day appeal timeline and the other timelines were aligned accordingly for an amendment. The Governor signed this bill.
HB 402 – Revising Local Government Laws Related to Invasive Species – sponsored by Rep. Greg Hertz: This bill authorizes invertebrate pest programs; authorizing a tax; and revising ordinances for adoption by counties located within the Columbia River Basin. This bill was tabled in committee.
HJ 17 – Resolution Requesting AIS Funding from Congress – sponsored by Rep. Willis Curdy: This resolution requests funding from the federal government for the Montana AIS program. MACD supported this effort. This resolution is headed to the Senate floor.
HJ 28 – Joint Resolution Requesting Denial of American Prairie Reserve Grazing Permit – sponsored by Rep. Dan Bartel: This resolution recommends to Congress that BLM not be able to approve the 18 grazing leases under consideration for the American Prairie Reserve initiative. The MACD Resolution 09-07 directs the association to oppose such an initiative like APR without appropriate research and study. MACD sent the sponsor and the committee chair letters for the hearing record. This bill is headed to the Senate floor.
SB 32 – Create Stream Gauge Oversight Work Group – sponsored by Sen. Jon Sesso: This bill creates an oversight committee to gather data regarding stream gauge sights, ownership, and develop a coordinated system for managing those sites. This bill passed the Senate and has been heard by House Natural Resources. The bill was tabled by House Natural Resources.
SB 47 – Revise Laws Related to River Basin Councils – sponsored by Sen. Jill Cohenour: The bill establishes the need for river basin councils to provide recommendations for development and implementation for the State Water Plan. The plan is up for revision in 2035. The bill also sunsets the Clark Fork and Kootenai river task force. The bill was tabled by House Natural Resources.
SB 176 – Establishment of a Hemp Plan and Program – sponsored by Sen. Tom Jacobson: The bill provides authority for the Department of Agriculture to establish a Hemp plan and program in Montana. The bill has been transmitted to the House and referred to the House Agriculture committee. This bill has been referred to House Appropriations.
SB 247 – Revise FWP Authority for Instream Flows – sponsored by Sen. Jill Cohenour: This bill attempts to replace the current June 30, 2019 sunset date with authority in perpetuity. Confusion has arisen and tangled this proposal with the Army Core of Engineers current initiative regarding pallid sturgeon. The two should not be confused. This bill is awaiting executive action by House Natural Resources.
SB 299 – Generally Revise Laws Related to Sage Grouse Conservation – sponsored by Sen. Mike Lang: This bill proposes changes to the Montana Sage Grouse Oversight Team assessment of credits and considers various sector issues. This bill passed the Senate and has been transferred to House Natural Resources. This bill is headed to the House floor.
SB 323 – Allow the Creation and Assessment of a Public Safety District – sponsored by Senator Roger Webb: Non-profits are generally exempt from paying property taxes. Property taxes pay for public safety service fees. This bill establishes the authority to assess a public safety fee on non-profits. The bill was tabled in committee.