Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB265: Provide Over-BASE levy authority consistent with inflation adopted by the legislature
Status: Chaptered, May 20, 2025
What the bill says
A bill for an act entitled: "an act revising school funding laws related to the allowable increase in a school district's general fund budget to improve alignment with the definition of "basic system of free quality public elementary and secondary schools" provided in section 20-9-309, mca, by ensuring that the general fund funding formula is self-executing and includes a mechanism for accurate annual inflationary adjustments; authorizing a school board to increase a previously voter-approved over-base levy by the school funding inflationary adjustments provided by the legislature…
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT REVISING SCHOOL FUNDING LAWS RELATED TO THE ALLOWABLE INCREASE IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET TO IMPROVE ALIGNMENT WITH THE DEFINITION OF "BASIC SYSTEM OF FREE QUALITY PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS" PROVIDED IN SECTION 20-9-309, MCA, BY ENSURING THAT THE GENERAL FUND FUNDING FORMULA IS SELF-EXECUTING AND INCLUDES A MECHANISM FOR ACCURATE ANNUAL INFLATIONARY ADJUSTMENTS; AUTHORIZING A SCHOOL BOARD TO INCREASE A PREVIOUSLY VOTER-APPROVED OVER-BASE LEVY BY THE SCHOOL FUNDING INFLATIONARY ADJUSTMENTS PROVIDED BY THE LEGISLATURE; AMENDING SECTIONS 20-9-308 AND 20-9-353, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE AND AN APPLICABILITY DATE." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: Section 1. Section 20-9-308, MCA, is amended to read: "20-9-308. BASE budgets and general fund budget limits. (1) The trustees of a district shall adopt a general fund budget that is at least equal to the BASE budget established for the district. The trustees of a district may adopt a general fund budget up to the greater or (b) the previous year's general fund budget plus any increase in direct state aid for the basic and per-ANB entitlements and any increases in state funding of the data-for-achievement payment under 20-9-325 and in the general fund payments in 20-9-327 through 20-9-330. (2) (a) Except as provided in subsection …