With only two weeks left of this 60th session, the Senate has focused on the budget bills this past week.  However starting tomorrow, we are anticipating the pace to pick up for both floor action and committee executive action, as deadlines are approaching for amended bills.  Monday the 16th is transmittal date for amended appropriation bills and Wednesday the 18th is the deadline for amended revenue bills. 

We are closely monitoring two major pieces of legislation that affect tourism and film promotion.

HB 40 (Gallik) Revise state movie incentive laws – “Big Sky on the Big Screen Act”. 
This bill was resurrected in Senate Taxation and passed out of committee with a vote of  7 – 4 and could see floor action as early as tomorrow (Saturday). This bill would increase the tax credit on both employment and qualified expenditures, eliminate the million dollar cap, and simplify the application process. The bill, as amended, would increase the tax credits (employment tax credit to 14% and qualified expenditures to 9%) and includes a requirement that production companies certify in writing that Montana vendors have been paid in full prior to claiming any tax credits.  

SB 284 (Moss/Perry) Revise allocation of bed tax and taxes on rental cars – “The Best Place First Bill”, Tourism Partners Plan.  In the House Taxation Committee, the bill had its funding cut to approximately $3.8 million with a statutory appropriation added.  SB 284 passed the House on 3rd Reading by 86-13.  The bill has been returned to the Senate.  The Senate will either accept the amendments on this bill or it may be referred to a conference committee.

Highlights from this past week:

HB 235 (Dutton) Business improvement district law.  This bill as amended is on its way to the Governor for his signature.  As amended, this bill requires the executive director of the newly created BID be the executive director of the local convention visitor bureau.

HB 480 (Lake) Fund restoration and maintenance of Daly mansion.  This bill passed out of Senate Finance and Claims today by a vote of 14-4 and is on its way to the Senate Floor. It was amended to appropriate general funds through Commerce of $25,000 per year for FY 08 and FY 09 to be used for direct maintenance and restoration.

HB 574 (Hiner) Assist Deer Lodge in rebuilding the Rialto Theater.  This bill passed out of Senate Finance and Claims today by a vote of 11-8 and is headed to the Senate Floor.  As amended this bill appropriates $50,000 from the general fund to Commerce for grants to assist in the restoration and renovation of cultural and historical arts centers.  

HB 830 (Kasten) Appropriate money for construction & maintenance of public buildings and systems.  This bill passed out of Senate Finance and Claims with a vote of 15-3 and is heading for the Senate floor.  This bill as amended includes $3 million for the Montana Heritage Commission. 

The Montana Promotion Division is monitoring a number of bills that effect administration of state programs, as well as various aspects of the tourism and film industry.  The chart below is for introduced bills that may have a direct impact on the accommodation tax or issues important to the tourism and film industry. 

When looking at the status of a bill on this chart, here are some helpful hints:

• Referred to committee means the bill has been assigned to the committee, but the hearing date has not been set.
• Hearing means a hearing is scheduled.

Bill Type - Number	Primary Sponsor	Status	Status Date	Short Title
HB 9	Dave Kasten	(S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended -- (S) Finance and Claims	04/12/2007	Cultural and aesthetic grants
HB 40	Dave Gallik	(S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred -- (S) Taxation	04/10/2007	Revise state movie incentive laws
HB 106	Douglas Cordier	Chapter Number Assigned	03/22/2007	Remove Commerce as ombudsman regarding Flathead Lake management
HB 235	Ernie Dutton	(H) Returned from Enrolling	04/11/2007	Business improvement district law
HB 284	Shannon Augare	Chapter Number Assigned	04/05/2007	Improve Giant Springs state park - agreement with Little Shell Tribe
HB 299	Mike Milburn	(H) Sent to Enrolling	04/12/2007	Revise laws governing ski areas and passenger ropeways
HB 348	Jim Keane	(H) Transmitted to Governor	04/12/2007	Increase out-of-state snowmobile fees
HB 480	Bob Lake	(S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended -- (S) Finance and Claims	04/13/2007	Fund restoration and maintenance of Daly mansion
HB 519	Dave Kasten	(S) Hearing -- (S) Finance and Claims	04/10/2007; 8 AM, Rm 317	Fund Montana cowboy hall of fame
HB 531	Carol Lambert	Chapter Number Assigned	03/30/2007	Designate warrior trail
HB 539	George G Groesbeck	(S) Hearing -- (S) Finance and Claims	04/10/2007; 8 AM, Rm 317	Appropriate funds for Butte-Silver Bow cultural development
HB 574	Cynthia Hiner	(S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred -- (S) Finance and Claims	04/13/2007	Assist Deer Lodge in rebuilding Rialto theater
HB 759	Gordon R Hendrick	(H) Sent to Enrolling	04/12/2007	Revise fee system funding search & rescue
HB 830	Dave Kasten	(S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended -- (S) Finance and Claims	04/12/2007	Appropriate money for construction & maintenance of public buildings and systems
HJ 3	John L Musgrove	(H) Filed with Secretary of State	02/12/2007	Urge port of Wild Horse be kept open 24 hours
SB 29	Frank Smith	Chapter Number Assigned	03/27/2007	Establish Robert E. Ewing Jr. memorial highway
SB 76	Kim Gillan	Chapter Number Assigned	03/27/2007	Revise law on agency access to tax and revenue information
SB 78	Lane L Larson	(H) Tabled in Committee -- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	04/04/2007	Clarify stream access from bridges
SB 88	Bob Hawks	Chapter Number Assigned	03/30/2007	Extend indefinitely funding to heritage preservation and development account
SB 100	Larry Jent	(H) Returned to Senate with Amendments	04/04/2007	Revise outfitter laws/ felony outfitting without license
SB 174	Jim Elliott	(H) Tabled in Committee -- (H) Taxation	04/13/2007	Revise laws on revenue administration
SB 233	Jim Elliott	(H) Returned to Senate with Amendments	04/04/2007	Allow multiple counties to create museum districts
SB 284	Lynda Moss	(H) Returned to Senate with Amendments	04/04/2007	Revise allocation of bed tax and taxes on rental cars
SB 299	Lynda Moss	(S) Returned from Enrolling	04/04/2007	Revise laws on historic preservation and cultural tourism
SB 301	Lynda Moss	(H) Hearing -- (H) Appropriations	04/03/2007; 8 AM, Rm 102	Authorize bond issuance for historic preservation
SB 318	Jim Peterson	(S) Returned from Enrolling	04/04/2007	Extend recreational use immunity to aircraft
SB 418	Dan Weinberg	(H) Tabled in Committee -- (H) Taxation	03/29/2007	Revise distribution of lodging facility use taxes
SB 431	Greg Lind	(H) Committee Report--Bill Concurred -- (H) Natural Resources	04/03/2007	Revise standards for hot springs
SB 525	Jim Elliott	(H) Returned to Senate with Amendments	04/04/2007	Clarify duties of state treasurer regarding deposit of tax and fees
SJ 3	Dan Weinberg	(H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred as Amended -- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	04/13/2007	Urge funding for restoration of parks, battlefields, and monuments

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Remember, the legislature has now set up a system for contacting representatives by e-mail. 
http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/60th/default.asp

Until next week…