HB579 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Require local governments to fund capital reserve accounts before receiving certain grants and loans.

What is the status of HB579?

Failed as of May 20, 2025. Latest action: (H) Died in Process (May 20, 2025).

Where is the official record for HB579?

On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2594

Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session

Montana HB579: Require local governments to fund capital reserve accounts before receiving certain grants and loans

Q: What does HB579 do?

In its own words: A bill for an act entitled: "an act revising the renewable resource grant and loan program and the montana coal endowment program; requiring a local government to establish and fund a capital reserve account before funding may be released from the renewable resource grant and loan program or the montana coal endowment program; providing a priority system for awarding financial assistance; providing a definition; providing rulemaking authority; and amending sections 85-1605, 90-6-703, and 90-6-710, mca.".

Status: Failed, May 20, 2025

What the bill says

A bill for an act entitled: "an act revising the renewable resource grant and loan program and the montana coal endowment program; requiring a local government to establish and fund a capital reserve account before funding may be released from the renewable resource grant and loan program or the montana coal endowment program; providing a priority system for awarding financial assistance; providing a definition; providing rulemaking authority; and amending sections 85-1605, 90-6-703, and 90-6-710, mca.".

From the engrossed text:

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT REVISING THE RENEWABLE RESOURCE GRANT AND LOAN PROGRAM AND THE MONTANA COAL ENDOWMENT PROGRAM; REQUIRING A LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO ESTABLISH AND FUND A CAPITAL RESERVE ACCOUNT BEFORE FUNDING MAY BE RELEASED FROM THE RENEWABLE RESOURCE GRANT AND LOAN PROGRAM OR THE MONTANA COAL ENDOWMENT PROGRAM; PROVIDING A PRIORITY SYSTEM FOR AWARDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE; PROVIDING A DEFINITION; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; AND AMENDING SECTIONS 85-1605, 90-6-703, AND 90-6-710, MCA." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: NEW SECTION. Section 1. Local government requirements before funds are released. (1) To be eligible to receive funding under the renewable resource grant and loan program, a local government must establish and continually fund a capital reserve account meeting the requirements of subsection (3) for necessary infrastructure improvements, including but not limited to improvements to water supply systems, wastewater systems, irrigation systems, and water storage dams that are not part of a public water system and that have a water storage capacity in excess of 3,000 acre-feet. (2) The capital reserve account must be established by September 30 of the odd-numbered year preceding the next regularly scheduled legislative session when the local government intends to receive potential funding. (3) The local government shall deposit into the capital reserve account: (a) an amount equal to …

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Montana HB579: Require local governments to fund capital reserve accounts before receiving certain grants and loans

What the bill says

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