HB 321 Passes the Legislature!
May 3, 2023
Last night HB 321 passed its final legislative vote in the House and is headed to the Governor’s desk! Governor Gianforte will sign HB 321 in the coming days. HB 321 passed in the final hours of the 2023 Legislative Session, as yesterday afternoon the Senate voted to sine die (adjourn the session), followed by a sine […]
Montana Legislature working at historic levels
April 11, 2023
[This is a repost from Montana Legislative Services – April 10, 2023] The Montana Legislature is working at a pace not seen in at least half a century. As of Monday, April 10, lawmakers introduced 1,644 bills — a number second only to the number introduced in 1973. That year, the Legislature implemented the provisions […]
HB 321 (CD Coal Trust Funding) will be considered in March
February 28, 2023
This morning, the House Appropriations Committee voted to bring HB 321 off the table and added a small amendment. You can read the amendment here, which would appropriate $1000 in additional grant funds to the Coal Board. This small change will mean that HB 321 now qualifies as an appropriations bill. Therefore, HB 321 will […]
Action Alert: SB 28 (CD Funding)
February 28, 2023
Critical Action Alert SB 28: Provide funding for conservation districts (from marijuana tax dollars) – Sponsored by Sen. Lang SB 28 will be up for a vote on the Senate floor this week (likely Tues or Wed). SB 28 is the bill that came out of the Environmental Quality Council (EQC) and would use marijuana tax dollars to […]
HB 295 Passes House Unanimously and Transmitted to the Senate
February 22, 2023
HB 295 (Revise Nepotism Laws Related to Small Communities) passed out of the House Local Government Committee unanimously, and went on to pass on the House floor unanimously. HB 295 is based off of Resolution 22-03 brought forward by Petroleum County CD and passed at the 2022 MACD Annual Convention. Petroleum Chair Jay King has […]
Two key pieces of CD Legislation are in Committee this week. WE NEED YOUR HELP!
January 30, 2023
Comments from CD boards or individual supervisors will be critical to moving both bills forward! Critical Action Alert HB 321: Generally revise laws related to the coal trust A key Conservation District funding bill (HB 321) will be up in House Taxation on Wednesday (2/1) at 8am. If you would like to come to Helena to testify in […]
Upcoming testimony in support of CD Funding
January 24, 2023
January 25th: Testimony on CD Account BudgetThe Conservation District Budget will be in front of the Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee (Section C) starting at 9am (time subject to change). This will be an opportunity for Conservation Districts to provide brief testimony in front of the committee. Not able to attend? Please sign up to testify via zoom or send […]
Public Comment on CD Budget – now on Jan 25th
January 17, 2023
Public comment on the CD Account Budget (within DNRC) will now take place on Wednesday January 25th (as opposed to the 23rd). In light of this, the CDAC meeting has also been moved. A detailed agenda for the 24th and 25th is forthcoming, as there are a number of meetings and events on those two […]
Upcoming events and hearings for conservation district funding as of 1/6
January 8, 2023
Jan 10: Section C (Natural Resources) Budget Committee – Presentation by CD River CouncilsJan 18-20: Section F (Long Range Planning) Budget Committee – Renewable Resource Grant Program (RRGL)Jan 23: Section C (Natural Resources) Budget Committee – DNRC Budget – MACD presents formal request for budget increase and districts testify in supportJan 24: CD Rotunda Day […]
Standing Committee Members named for 2023 Legislative Session
November 23, 2022
Standing committees (also referred to as Session Committees) are established each session in the rules adopted for each house of the Legislature. Standing committees meet regularly to hear bills on assigned subject matter. A standing committee plays a key role in the legislative process in the following ways: serving as the primary forum for face-to-face […]