The Legislature had a productive week and completed day 18 of this 60TH legislative session.   The Senate gave initial approval to the “rainy day” fund as well as final approval 34-16 to the Governor’s school funding bill.   Here at Montana Promotion Division, we provided follow up documentation regarding HB 40 (Gallik) the bill that amends the “Big Sky on the Big Screen Act.” to the House Taxation Committee and are waiting for executive action on this bill.  SB 284 (Moss) Tourism Partners Plan – “Best Place First Initiative” has been scheduled for a committee hearing on Tuesday, February 6, at 3:00 p.m., in Senate Local Government Committee.

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.

Highlights for the week:

HB 147 (Jopek):  Revise and clarify application of bed tax and sales and use tax.  The hearing for this bill was Tuesday 1/23/07 before the House Taxation committee.  This bill was at the request of the Department of Revenue.  MPD testified in support of this legislation.  There were additional proponents as well as a few opponents.  This bill would require intermediaries such as Travelocity, Orbitz, Hotels.com to pay the bed tax and the vehicle rental tax on on-line bookings. The committee has not taken action on this bill as of yet.   

HB 235 (Dutton):  Business Improvement district law:  This bill would allow for revisions to the Business Improvement Districts to allow fees to be collected to be used for local tourism marketing. (Commonly referred to as the Billings TIB proposal.)  This hearing took place in the House Local Government Committee on Tuesday 1/23/07.  There were a number of proponents to this bill with a few opponents.  

Upcoming Legislative Activity:

SB 284 (Moss): Tourism Partners Plan – Best Place First Initiative is scheduled for a hearing in Senate Local Government Committee Tuesday 2/6/07 at 3:00 p.m.  This bill would redirect the 3% accommodations sales tax and 4% car rental tax from the General Fund to the tourism marketing partners, (statewide, regional, local and tribal), and to the sense of place partners such as the Historical Society, State Parks, Heritage Commission and the Arts Council for preservation and maintenance of Montana’s cultural and heritage treasures. 

HB 5 (Callahan):  Long-range Building Appropriations Committee will be discussing the Montana Historical Society plans for the new Montana Historical Museum project Monday 1/29/07.

The chart below is for introduced bills that may have 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 General Government and Transportation	01/31/2007; 5 PM, Rm 317B	General appropriations act
HB 5	Tim Callahan	(H) Hearing-- (H) Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Long Range Planning	01/31/2007; 8 AM, Rm 350	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) Hearing-- (H) Taxation	01/19/2007; 8 AM, Rm 152	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) Referred to Committee-- (S) Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs	01/16/2007	Remove Commerce as ombudsman regarding Flathead Lake management
HB 147	Mike Jopek	(H) Hearing-- (H) Taxation	01/23/2007; 8 AM, Rm 152	Revise and clarify application of bed tax and sales and use tax
HB 199	William J Jones	(H) Hearing-- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	01/18/2007; 3 PM, Rm 152	Water-based recreational access donations/donor recognition
HB 235	Ernie Dutton	(H) Hearing-- (H) Local Government	01/23/2007; 3 PM, Rm 172	Business improvement district law
HB 284	Shannon Augare	(H) Hearing-- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	01/23/2007; 3 PM, Rm 152	Fund improvement at state park - agreement with Little Shell Tribe to maintain
HB 299	Mike Milburn	(H) Hearing-- (H) Business and Labor	01/19/2007; 8 AM, Rm 172	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) Introduced	01/24/2007	Small town renewal program
HB 480	Bob Lake	(H) Introduced	01/26/2007	Fund restoration, operation, and maintenance of Daly mansion
HJ 3	John L Musgrove	(S) Referred to Committee-- (S) Highways and Transportation	01/17/2007	Urge port of Wild Horse be kept open 24 hours
HJ 12	Kevin T Furey	(H) Hearing-- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	02/01/2007; 3 PM, Rm 152	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) Hearing-- (S) Fish and Game	01/18/2007; 3 PM, Rm 422	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) Rereferred to Committee-- (S) Fish and Game	01/23/2007	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) Hearing-- (S) Taxation	01/18/2007; 9 AM, Rm 405	Tax reform study committee
SB 233	Jim Elliott	(S) Hearing-- (S) Taxation	01/18/2007; 9 AM, Rm 405	Allow multiple counties to create museum districts
SB 275	Sam Kitzenberg	(S) Hearing-- (S) Taxation	01/19/2007; 9 AM, Rm 405	Local option sales tax
SB 284	Lynda Moss	(S) Hearing-- (S) Local Government	02/06/2007; 3 PM, Rm 335	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) Referred to Committee-- (S) Judiciary	01/22/2007	Extend recreational use immunity to aircraft
SB 320	Kim Gillan	(S) Hearing-- (S) Local Government	01/30/2007; 3 PM, Rm 335	Revise resort tax -- delete population and designation requirement
SJ 3	Dan Weinberg	(S) Rereferred to Committee-- (S) Natural Resources and Energy	01/23/2007	Urge funding for restoration of parks, battlefields, and monuments
SR 2	Sam Kitzenberg	(S) Hearing-- (S) Fish and Game	01/30/2007; 3 PM, Rm 422	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…

 

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