Last day to support CD Funding through HB 321!

Tell the House Appropriations Committee to Support HB 321

HB 321: Generally revise laws related to the coal trust (create trust to fund CDs) – Sponsored by Rep. Reksten

HB 321 would benefit both CDs and school districts. HB 321 would create a trust for CDs (which would sit within Coal Trust). Over the next 5-6 years, this trust would fill to $100 million dollars, creating a permanent and generational funding source for CDs. This bill is awaiting action in the House Appropriations Committee. It was previously tabled, and then brought after the table and amended to keep it alive. In the next week there will be a move to bring HB 321 for a vote in House AppropriationsCDs and school districts need to do a big push to help move this bill.

ACTION: Please contact ALL members of the House Appropriations Committee and encourage them to SUPPORT HB 321! (You do NOT have to be in their district to reach out. We encourage ALL districts to contact House Appropriations members.)
 

General talking points:

1. Members who initially voted yes FOR HB 321 – Say thank you and a request continued support of HB 321. 
2. Priority for outreach: Members who initially voted NO (to table) HB 321. Please encourage them to SUPPORT HB 321.

  • State funding from coal severance tax for conservation districts is (1) not at an adequate level and (2) has been unstable in recent years. 
  • Finding an adequate, long term, stable funding source that will allow individual Districts to (1) fulfill their mandated duties and (2) address increasing local needs related to land use changes, increasing populations, development, and natural disasters (ex 2022 flooding, 2017 fires, etc). Within the next four years, HB 321 would create a permanent and generational funding solution for district operations This is a once in a generation/lifetime opportunity to create a trust and permanent funding solution for CDs. 
  • ***SHARE the impact this would have in YOUR DISTRICT. What would stable + increased funding allow your district to work on? What would be the impact for conservation and local communities? 

ADDITIONAL ACTION: Please send a letter of support for HB 321 to rebecca@macdnet.org. These district letters will be printed and handed out to Appropriations Committee Members the morning of March 29th.  They need to be sent to Rebecca by this evening (3/28) at the latest.

Members of the House Appropriations Committee (Click on names for contact info):

MemberAssignment
Llew Jones  (R) HD 18 (Pondera CD)Chair – voted yes
Mary Caferro  (D) HD 82 (Lewis and Clark)Vice Chair – voted yes
Bob Keenan  (R) HD 10 (Flathead CD)Vice Chair – voted no
David Bedey  (R) HD 86 (Bitterroot CD)Member – voted yes
Michele Binkley  (R) HD 85 (Bitterroot CD)Member – voted yes
Terry Falk  (R) HD 8 (Flathead CD)Member – voted no
John Fitzpatrick  (R) HD 77 (Mile High CD)Member – voted yes
Jane Gillette  (R) HD 64 (Gallatin CD)Member – voted no
Jim Hamilton  (D) HD 61 (Gallatin CD)Member – voted no
Naarah Hastings  (R) HD 50 (Yellowstone CD)Member – voted no
Lyn Hellegaard  (R) HD 97 (Missoula CD)Member – voted no
Mike Hopkins  (R) HD 92 (Missoula CD)Member – voted yes
Connie Keogh  (D) HD 91 (Missoula CD)Member – voted no
Emma Kerr-Carpenter  (D) HD 49 (Yellowstone CD)Member – voted no
Bill Mercer  (R) HD 46 (Yellowstone CD)Member – voted no
Terry Moore  (R) HD 54 (Yellowstone CD)Member – voted no
Fiona Nave  (R) HD 57 (Stillwater CD)Member – voted no
Joe Read  (R) HD 93 (Lake CD)Member – voted yes
Matt Regier  (R) HD 4 (Flathead CD)Member – voted no
Jerry Schillinger  (R) HD 37 (McCone CD)Member – voted no
Sharon Stewart Peregoy  (D) HD 42 (Big Horn CD)Member – voted yes
Paul Tuss  (D) HD 28 (Hill County, CDMember – voted no
Jonathan Windy Boy  (D) HD 32 (Hill County CD)Member – voted yes
Quinn HolzerLegislative Branch Staffer
Julie JohnsonLegislative Branch Staffer
Kathlyn WalkerSecretary

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