Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB499: Extend the grow your own grant program
Status: Signed into law, June 20, 2025
What the bill says
An act generally revising the grow your own grant program; providing that postsecondary institutions are eligible for grants under the program; revising the requirement for earning postsecondary credits while in high school; removing the requirement for the commissioner of higher education to convert a grant to a loan in certain circumstances; extending the termination date for the grow your own grant program; providing a definition; providing an appropriation; amending section 20-4-601, mca; amending section 6, chapter 514, laws of 2021; and providing an effective date.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT GENERALLY REVISING THE GROW YOUR OWN GRANT PROGRAM; PROVIDING THAT POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR GRANTS UNDER THE PROGRAM; REVISING THE REQUIREMENT FOR EARNING POSTSECONDARY CREDITS WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL; REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE COMMISSIONER OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO CONVERT A GRANT TO A LOAN IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES; EXTENDING THE TERMINATION DATE FOR THE GROW YOUR OWN GRANT PROGRAM; PROVIDING A DEFINITION; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; AMENDING SECTION 20-4-601, MCA; AMENDING SECTION 6, CHAPTER 514, LAWS OF 2021; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Section 1. Section 20-4-601, MCA, is amended to read: "20-4-601. (Temporary) Grow your own grant program -- administration. (1) There is a grow your own grant program administered by the commissioner of higher education. The purpose of the grant program is to develop teacher pipelines aimed at serving rural and reservation school districts. (2) (a) The grow your own grant program must (ii) the opportunity for students to engage in work-based learning opportunities in the field of education; and (iii) collaboration between school districts and institutions of higher education in developing a career pathway for education. (b) The grant program must allow and encourage small and proximate districts to collaborate in developing their grow your own grant programs. (c) A school district is eligible for the program if the district has one or more schools …