MACo LEGISLATIVE UPDATE VOLUME 26, NO. 2 JANUARY 10, 2021 MACO & THE MONTANA LEGISLATURE The Montana Association of The Montana Association of Counties’ website has a section dedicated to helping Counties (MACo) publishes this weekly bulletin containing members keep track of the happenings during the Montana’s Legislative Session: click summary descriptions of bills of here to go to our policy pages. In this area of the website, you’ll find MACo’s resolutions, interest to local government links to pertinent bills, the current and past issues of our weekly Legislative Update, officials. Each issue’s hearing schedule lists only the bills that hearing calendars, committee listings, and more. have been introduced during the week. 2021 PROJECTED SESSION CALENDAR Previous issues of the MACo Note: Legislative leadership holds the authority to further revise the schedule, including the Legislative Update can be found on days the Legislature meets and proposed breaks. our website’s policy section or click In accordance with 5-2-103, MCA, each regular session of the Legislature convenes on the first here for direct access to the st archive. Monday in January of each odd-numbered year or, if January 1 is a Monday, on the first Wednesday. CONTACTING LEGISLATORS Introduction deadlines: Generally, bills and resolutions must be introduced within 2 legislative LEGISLATIVE INFO DESK days after delivery. JR 40-50, H40-10. “General bills”is used to denote all bills, except (406) 444-4800 appropriation or revenue bills, and all joint resolutions. SENATORS Notes: Deadline dates are determined according to legislative days. Emails & Phone Numbers Certain bills and resolutions relating to administrative rules may be transmitted at any time P.O. Box 200500 during the session. JR 40-200(3). Helena, MT 59620-0500 th - Committee Members Jan. 4: 67 Legislative Session Convenes (Day 1) - Leadership Jan. 19: Last day to request General Bills & Resolutions (Day 12) Jan. 26: Last day to request Revenue Bills (Day 17) REPRESENTATIVES Emails & Phone Numbers Feb. 17: Last day for Committees to request General Bills & Resolutions (Day 36) P.O. Box 200400 Feb. 20: Last day to introduce General Bills, ex. Committee Bills (Day 39) Helena, MT 59620-0400 Feb. 27: Transmittal of General Bills to other Chamber & Last day to request - Committee Members Appropriation Bills (Day 45 – Halfway Point) - Leadership Feb. 28 thru March 3: Transmittal Break March 16: Last day for committees to request Revenue Bills, Bills Proposing Referenda, or CONTACTING MACO bills to implement HB 2 (Day 56) Phone: (406) 449-4360 March 20: Transmittal of Revenue-Estimating Joint Resolution; and last day to request Fax: (406) 442-5238 Study Resolutions (Day 60) Email: [email protected] March 22: Last day to introduce Appropriation Bills, Revenue Bills & Bills Proposing Mail: 2715 Skyway Drive Referenda (Day 61) Helena, MT 59602-1213 March 29: Transmittal of Appropriation Bills, Revenue Bills & Bills Proposing Referenda (Day Web: www.mtcounties.org 67) POLICY ON OUR WEBSITE April 2-5: Easter Break April 8: Transmittal of amendments to General Bills (Day 73) The Policy section on our April 15: Last day to introduce Study resolutions (Day 79) website is continually updated with the status of MACo bills as April 16: Transmittal of amendments to Appropriation Bills, Revenue Bills, and Revenue well as the weekly schedule. Be Estimating Resolution, as well as Bills Proposing Referenda (Day 80) sure to bookmark it during the April 19: Transmittal of amendments to Revenue Estimating Joint Resolution (Day 82) session! April 22: Transmittal of Interim Study Resolutions (Day 85) April 28: Sine Die (Day 90 = End of Session) April 30: 90th Legislative Day – Sine Die. 67th Legislative Session MACo Legislative Update ⬧ Page 1 M O N T A N A A SSOCIATION OF C O U N T I E S | L EGISLATIVE U P D A T E | 2 0 2 1 | 67TH S ESSION NEW FEATURES FOR PUBLIC TO ACCESS THE MONTANA LEGISLATURE’S RESOURCES WRITTEN & PROVIDED BY SUSAN FOX, MONTANA LEGISLATIVE SERVICES DIVISION, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The voices of Montanans will echo in the halls of the scheduled for hearing. Testimony (and requests to capitol in more ways than ever and from farther away testify remotely) must be submitted by noon the day when the 2021 Legislature convenes Monday. before the hearing to allow dissemination of the information to legislators and others. “If there is a silver lining to the pandemic, it is the development of remote testimony capability,” said The remote testimony feature debuts with the old Susan Fox, executive director of the Legislative Services standbys of sending an email, leaving a phone Division. Allowing Montanans the ability to testify message, and traditional mail. without traveling to Helena has long been a goal of For more information, go to the Montana Legislature's many legislative leaders, Fox said. But that wish Homepage leg.mt.gov and for links to: became a necessity with the pandemic and the need to limit the number of people in the capitol. 1. more information on remote participation; and There are no restrictions on in-person involvement, however the number of seats in hearing rooms are 2. the form to request to testify or upload your documents; and limited to maintain social distancing. The public is also subject to any Lewis and Clark County health directives 3. the web messaging form; and regarding crowd size. 4. Bill Search, Legislator Search, Session Information, and Revenue and Budget “Legislative staff worked diligently to provide the Information; and public with more opportunities than ever to interact 5. where to click to Watch/Listen to all with representatives and senators,” Fox said. New meetings. features include an ability to upload written testimony to a committee or request a link to testify remotely at Click on the image of leg.mt.gov to check it out! More a bill hearing. This is available for any bill that is information is also available by calling (406) 444-4800. 67th Legislative Session MACo Legislative Update ⬧ Page 2 M O N T A N A A SSOCIATION OF C O U N T I E S | L EGISLATIVE U P D A T E | 2 0 2 1 | 67TH S ESSION SCHEDULED HEARINGS The Senate Local Government Committee (Senate LGC) meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 3:00 p.m. in room 405. The House Local Government Committee (House LGC) meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:00 p.m. in room 472. MACo bills are highlighted green, priority bills are highlighted blue (bills in which we have active involvement), and bills we are monitoring are highlighted yellow (bills that we are watching closely or on our radar—no active involvement). MONDAY, JANUARY 11TH TIME COMMITTEE ROOM BILL NO. SHORT TITLE SPONSOR Authorize the Securities Uniform 8:30 AM (H) Business and Labor 172 HB 64 Terry Moore(R) HD 54 Whistleblower Act Require registration of securities 8:30 AM (H) Business and Labor 172 HB 65 Terry Moore(R) HD 54 supervisors 8:30 AM (H) Business and Labor 172 HB 66 Reauthorize securities restitution fund Terry Moore(R) HD 54 General Approps Act (H) Joint Approps. LRP Subcom Chair Discussion / Rules / 8:30 AM Subcom on Long-Range 317B HB 2 Llew Jones(R) HD 18 Schedule LRP Overview/Training Planning Project mapping presentation General Approps Act (H) Joint Approps. Budget Hearing - Montana Arts 9:00 AM 472 HB 2 Llew Jones(R) HD 18 Subcom on Education Council, Hearing Budgetary Starting Point General Approps Act (H) Joint Approps State Auditor's Office Public Testimony 9:00 AM Subcom on General 350 HB 2 Llew Jones(R) HD 18 Immediately Following - State Auditor's Government Office (H) Joint Approps General Approps Act Subcom on Natural Subcom organizational meeting, 9:00 AM 317C HB 2 Llew Jones(R) HD 18 Resources and Introduction of OBPP & Agency Staff, Transportation Overview of Section C Budget Analysis Senate Joint Resolution on the joint 9:00 AM (S) Rules 303 SJ 1 Cary Smith(R) SD 27 rules 9:00 AM (S) Rules 303 SR 1 Senate Resolution on the Senate rules Cary Smith(R) SD 27 Braxton Mitchell(R) 9:30 AM (H) Judiciary 137 HB 124 Suffering wildlife protection act HD 3 Robert Farris-Olsen(D) 9:30 AM (H) Judiciary 137 HB 91 Revise violent offender registry laws HD 79 Authorize funding for the multifamily Geraldine Custer(R) 2:00 PM (H) Approps 102 HB 21 coal trust home loan program HD 39 Eliminate sunset for Title X statutory Geraldine Custer(R) 2:00 PM (H) Approps 102 HB 61 appropriation HD 39 Update water and wastewater Mike Hopkins(R) HD 2:00 PM (H) Approps 102 HB 62 revolving loan program 92 (S) Education and Eliminate state school flexibility Daniel R Salomon(R) 2:30 PM 422 SB 23 Cultural Resources account SD 47 (S) Education and Allow nonoperating school districts to Daniel R Salomon(R) 2:30 PM 422 SB 24 Cultural Resources retain oil and gas revenue SD 47 (S) Education and Approve organization of Bitterroot Jason W Ellsworth(R) 2:30 PM 422 SR 2 Cultural Resources valley community college district SD 43 67th Legislative Session MACo Legislative Update ⬧ Page 3 M O N T A N A A SSOCIATION OF C O U N T I E S | L EGISLATIVE U P D A T E | 2 0 2 1 | 67TH S ESSION MONDAY, JANUARY 11TH (CONTINUED) TIME COMMITTEE ROOM BILL NO. SHORT TITLE SPONSOR Clarify funding for education of 3:00 PM (H) Education 137 HB 25 Moffie Funk(D) HD 82 children in residential treatment 3:00 PM (H) Education 137 HB 26 Clarify the definition of pupil Moffie Funk(D) HD 82 Authorize school districts to create 3:00 PM (H) Education 137 HB 27 Moffie Funk(D) HD 82 "handle with care" programs (H) Energy, Technology Revise statutes to reflect federal 3:00 PM 472 HB 34 Frank