We are currently a third of the way through the session and the pace is picking up. This past week there was quite a bit of action on several bills that Montana Promotion Division is currently monitoring.

Highlights from this past week:

SB 284 (Moss): Tourism Partners Plan – “Best Place First Initiative” was heard by the Senate Local Government Committee on Tuesday.  There was a strong show of support from various tourism partners with a few opponents.  The sponsor of the bill anticipates executive action next week, possibly Thursday. 

HB 40 (Gallik): Amending of the Big Sky on the Big Screen Act – film bill, was passed as amended out of the House Taxation Committee with a vote of 17 -1.  The amendment reduces the tax credit on both employment and qualified expenditures by 1%, (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.

HB 235 (Dutton):  Business Improvement district law, this bill commonly referred to as the Billings BID proposal would expand business improvement districts to include tourism promotion options and for assessment of costs.  This bill passed as amended out of House Local Government Committee on Tuesday with a vote of 15 to 1. 

HB 299 (Milburn):  Revise laws governing ski areas and passenger ropeways, passed as amended by House Business and Labor Committee (12-4).

SJ3  (Weinberg): Urge funding for restoration of parks, battlefields, and monuments, passed out of Senate Natural Resources and Energy committee (9-0), 2nd reading (48-2),  3rd reading(45-5) and has been transmitted to the House.

Upcoming Highlights in chronological order:

Monday February 12, 2007

HB 9 (Kasten):  Cultural and Aesthetic Grants, this bill distributes the cultural trust grants. Hearing is scheduled in joint Appropriations Subcommittee – Long Range Planning Room 350 at  8:00 a.m. 

HB 517 (Branae): – Revise scenic byways laws This bill will remove certain means by which a roadway may be excluded and includes expertise in tribal issues by a member of the advisory council.  Hearing is scheduled in House Transportation Committee Room 455 at 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday February 13, 2007

SB 299 (Moss): Revise laws on historic preservation and cultural tourism, this bill authorizes state agencies to lease state-owned historic buildings to parties who will preserve and use them, or exchange them for other comparable properties.  It also authorizes the creation of heritage preservation & cultural tourism commissions.  Hearing is scheduled in Senate Local Government
Committee Room 335 at 3:00 p.m.

Thursday February 15, 2007

SB 418 (Weinberg): revise distribution of lodging facility use taxes for certain qualifying cities.  This bill adds a new category of entity that qualifies as a CVB within the lodging facility use tax law to include a zoning district.  Scheduled for hearing in Senate Taxation Room 405 at 9:00 a.m.

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.  There are several un-introduced bills and once they have been narrowed down we will include a list on future notices.

 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 2	John Sinrud	(H) Hearing-- (H) Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services	02/09/2007; 8 AM, Rm 102	General appropriations act
HB 5	Tim Callahan	(H) Hearing-- (H) Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Long Range Planning	02/06/2007; 8 AM, Rm 472	Long-range building appropriations
HB 9	Dave Kasten	(H) Hearing-- (H) Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Long Range Planning	02/12/2007; 8 AM, Rm 350	Cultural and aesthetic grants
HB 40	Dave Gallik	(H) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended-- (H) Taxation	02/06/2007	Revise state movie incentive laws
HB 100	Bob Bergren	(H) Tabled in Committee-- (H) Taxation	01/26/2007	Improve management of DOR collection responsibilities
HB 106	Douglas Cordier	(S) Hearing-- (S) Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs	02/14/2007; 9 AM, Rm 422	Remove Commerce as ombudsman regarding Flathead Lake management
HB 147	Mike Jopek	(H) Tabled in Committee-- (H) Taxation	01/31/2007	Revise and clarify application of bed tax and sales and use tax
HB 199	William J Jones	(H) Rereferred to Committee-- (H) Appropriations	02/06/2007	Water-based recreational access donations/donor recognition
HB 235	Ernie Dutton	(H) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended-- (H) Local Government	02/09/2007	Business improvement district law
HB 284	Shannon Augare	(H) Tabled in Committee-- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	02/02/2007	Fund improvement at state park - agreement with Little Shell Tribe to maintain
HB 299	Mike Milburn	(H) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended-- (H) Business and Labor	02/08/2007	Revise laws governing ski areas and passenger ropeways
HB 348	Jim Keane	(H) Rereferred to Committee-- (H) Appropriations	01/26/2007	Increase out-of-state snowmobile fees
HB 377	Harry Klock	(H) Hearing-- (H) Appropriations	01/30/2007; UPON ADJ, Rm 102	Appropriation for forest service history museum and education center
HB 451	Julie French	(H) Hearing-- (H) Appropriations	02/12/2007; UPON ADJ, Rm 102	Small town renewal program
HB 480	Bob Lake	(H) Hearing-- (H) Appropriations	02/06/2007; UPON ADJ, Rm 102	Fund restoration, operation, and maintenance of Daly mansion
HB 517	Gary Branae	(H) Hearing-- (H) Transportation	02/12/2007; 3 PM, Rm 455	Revise scenic byways laws
HB 519	Dave Kasten	(H) Referred to Committee-- (H) Appropriations	02/01/2007	Fund Montana cowboy hall of fame
HB 531	Carol Lambert	(H) Hearing-- (H) Transportation	02/12/2007; 3 PM, Rm 455	Designate warrior trail
HB 539	George G Groesbeck	(H) Referred to Committee-- (H) Appropriations	02/01/2007	Appropriate funds for Butte-Silver Bow cultural development
HB 574	Cynthia Hiner	(H) Referred to Committee-- (H) Appropriations	02/06/2007	Assist Deer Lodge in rebuilding Rialto theater
HJ 3	John L Musgrove	(H) Sent to Enrolling	02/09/2007	Urge port of Wild Horse be kept open 24 hours
HJ 12	Kevin T Furey	(H) Tabled in Committee-- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	02/07/2007	Urge designation of Milltown dam reclamation area as state park
SB 29	Frank Smith	(S) Transmitted to House	01/12/2007	Establish Robert E. Ewing Jr. memorial highway
SB 76	Kim Gillan	(S) Hearing-- (S) Taxation	01/12/2007; 9 AM, Rm 405	Revise law on agency access to tax and revenue information
SB 78	Lane L Larson	(S) 2nd Reading Passed as Amended	02/09/2007	Clarify stream access from bridges
SB 88	Bob Hawks	(S) Transmitted to House	01/10/2007	Extend allocation of funding to heritage preservation and development account
SB 100	Larry Jent	(S) Hearing-- (S) Fish and Game	02/08/2007; 3 PM, Rm 422	Revise outfitter laws/ felony outfitting without license
SB 106	Sam Kitzenberg	(S) Tabled in Committee-- (S) Fish and Game	01/23/2007	Portion of Brush Lake as state park
SB 107	Sam Kitzenberg	(S) Tabled in Committee-- (S) Fish and Game	01/23/2007	Portion of Culbertson overlook as state park
SB 174	Jim Elliott	(S) Hearing-- (S) Taxation	01/11/2007; 9 AM, Rm 405	Revise laws on revenue administration
SB 231	Joseph (Joe) Tropila	(S) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended-- (S) Taxation	02/08/2007	Tax reform study committee
SB 233	Jim Elliott	(S) Transmitted to House	02/07/2007	Allow multiple counties to create museum districts
SB 275	Sam Kitzenberg	(S) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended-- (S) Taxation	01/30/2007	Local option sales tax
SB 284	Lynda Moss	(S) Hearing-- (S) Local Government	02/06/2007; 3 PM, Rm 317A	Revise allocation of bed tax and taxes on rental cars
SB 299	Lynda Moss	(S) Hearing-- (S) Local Government	02/13/2007; 3 PM, Rm 335	Revise laws on historic preservation and cultural tourism
SB 301	Lynda Moss	(S) Hearing-- (S) Local Government	02/13/2007; 3 PM, Rm 335	Authorize bond issuance for historic preservation
SB 318	Jim Peterson	(S) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended-- (S) Judiciary	02/02/2007	Extend recreational use immunity to aircraft
SB 320	Kim Gillan	(S) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended-- (S) Local Government	02/02/2007	Revise resort tax -- delete population and designation requirement
SB 418	Dan Weinberg	(S) Hearing-- (S) Taxation	02/15/2007; 9 AM, Rm 405	Revise distribution of lodging facility use taxes
SB 431	Greg Lind	(S) Hearing-- (S) Natural Resources and Energy	02/14/2007; 3 PM, Rm 422	Revise standards for hot springs
SJ 3	Dan Weinberg	(S) Transmitted to House	02/08/2007	Urge funding for restoration of parks, battlefields, and monuments
SR 2	Sam Kitzenberg	(S) Tabled in Committee-- (S) Fish and Game	02/01/2007	Urge purchase of Brush Lake and Culbertson overlook as state parks

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…

PO Box 200533  •  Helena MT 59620-0501
406.841.2870  •  406.841.2871 (fax)