MACo LEGISLATIVE UPDATE VOLUME 26, NO. 6 FEBRUARY 7, 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 AMENDED BY LEADERSHIP JANUARY 20, 2021 Legislative Update can be found on Note: Legislative leadership holds the authority to further revise the schedule, including the our website’s policy section or click days the Legislature meets and proposed breaks. here for direct access to the In accordance with 5-2-103, MCA, each regular session of the Legislature convenes on the first archive. Monday in January of each odd-numbered year or, if January 1st is a Monday, on the first CONTACTING LEGISLATORS Wednesday. Introduction deadlines: Generally, bills and resolutions must be introduced within 2 legislative LEGISLATIVE INFO DESK (406) 444-4800 days after delivery. JR 40-50, H40-10. “General bills” is used to denote all bills, except appropriation or revenue bills, and all joint resolutions. SENATORS Notes: Deadline dates are determined according to legislative days. Certain bills and Emails & Phone Numbers resolutions relating to administrative rules may be transmitted at any time during the session. P.O. Box 200500 Helena, MT 59620-0500 JR 40-200(3). 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 March 3: Transmittal of General Bills to other Chamber & Last day to request - Committee Members Appropriation Bills (Day 45 – Halfway Point) - Leadership March 4-5: Transmittal Break March 19: 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 24: Transmittal of Revenue-Estimating Joint Resolution; and last day to request Fax: (406) 442-5238 Study Resolutions (Day 60) Email: [email protected] March 25: Last day to introduce Appropriation Bills, Revenue Bills & Bills Proposing Mail: 2715 Skyway Drive Referenda (Day 61) Helena, MT 59602-1213 April 1: 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 12: Transmittal of amendments to General Bills (Day 73) The Policy section on our April 19: Last day to introduce Study resolutions (Day 79) website is continually updated with the status of MACo bills as April 20: 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 22: Transmittal of amendments to Revenue Estimating Joint Resolution (Day 82) session! April 26: Transmittal of Interim Study Resolutions (Day 85) May 1: 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 REMINDER: NEW FEATURES FOR PUBLIC TO ACCESS THE MT 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, FEBRUARY 8TH TIME COMMITTEE ROOM BILL NO. SHORT TITLE SPONSOR (H) Joint Approps. General Appropriations Act 8:00 AM Subcom. on General 350 HB 2 Llew Jones (R) HD 18 Agency Wrap Up if Needed Government Constitutional amendment to raise 8:00 AM (H) Judiciary 137 HB 322 Jimmy Patelis (R) HD 52 legislator residency requirement Provide default definitions for 8:00 AM (H) Judiciary 137 HB 327 covenants limiting the use of real Julie Dooling (R) HD 70 property Jason W Ellsworth (R) SD 8:00 AM (H) Judiciary 137 SB 114 Revise the homestead exemption 43 Generally revise laws related to sexual 8:00 AM (H) Judiciary 137 SB 39 Keith Regier (R) SD 3 offender evaluations and treatment (H) Joint Approps. General Appropriations Act 9:00 AM 472 HB 2 Llew Jones (R) HD 18 Subcom. on Education Montana State Library (H) Joint Approps. General Appropriations Act Subcom. on Natural 9:00 AM 317C HB 2 Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks - Llew Jones (R) HD 18 Resources and Public Comment Transportation (H) Joint Approps. Subcom. on Judicial General Appropriations Act 9:00 AM Branch, Law 317A HB 2 Llew Jones (R) HD 18 Department of Justice, Public Comment Enforcement, and Justice (H) Legislative Revising laws related to reports to the JP Pomnichowski (D) SD 12:00 PM 152 SB 57 Administration Legislature 33 Generally revise state cabin leasing 2:00 PM (H) Appropriations 102 HB 131 David Bedey (R) HD 86 laws Lower disability threshold for certain 2:00 PM (H) Appropriations 102 HB 239 Moffie Funk (D) HD 82 fee waivers to 80% Revise education laws related to tuition 3:00 PM (H) Education 137 HB 206 David Bedey (R) HD 86 and in-state treatment Revise education laws to enhance local Marta Bertoglio (R) HD 3:00 PM (H) Education 137 HB 246 control and opportunities for pupils 75 Allow use of school major maintenance 3:00 PM (H) Education 137 SB 42 Carlie Boland (D) SD 12 funds for lead remediation Allow use of school major maintenance 3:00 PM (H) Education 137 SB 42 Carlie Boland (D) SD 12 funds for lead remediation (H) Energy, Technology Eliminate restrictions on nuclear facility 3:00 PM 472 HB 273 Derek Skees (R) HD 11 and Federal Relations development (H) Energy, Technology Revise laws related to integrated least- 3:00 PM 472 SB 59 Mary McNally (D) SD 24 and Federal Relations cost resource planning 3:00 PM (H) Human Services 152 HB 275 Establish uses of medicaid waiver funds Mary Caferro (D) HD 81 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 (CONTINUED) TIME COMMITTEE ROOM BILL NO. SHORT TITLE SPONSOR Revise insurance requirements for Mary Ann Dunwell (D) 3:00 PM (H) Human Services 152 HB 299 diabetes self-management education HD 84 Prohibit sales of federal land Steve Gunderson (R) HD 3:00 PM (H) Natural Resources 172 HB 320 transferred to Montana 1 Revise permitting laws for