As of today there are a total of 2,541 requests for legislation, a new record for the Montana Legislature.  It’s been another busy week for Montana Promotion Division with the monitoring of several bills, fiscal note requests and a lot of behind the scenes action.  Looking at the scheduled hearing for next week and the Tourism Advisory Council meeting in town, it will be an even busier week next week!

Upcoming Highlights in chronological order:

Monday February 5, 2007

HB 5 (Callahan):  Long-range Building Appropriations Committee will be discussing a funding request of $3 million by the Montana Heritage Commission for preservation and maintenance needs.  Monday, February 5, 2007, 8:00 a.m. in room 350. 

SJ 3 (Weinberg):  Urge Funding for restoration of parks, battlefields, and monuments is scheduled for hearing in Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee, Monday, February 5, 2007 3:00 p.m. in room 422.  The Tourism Advisory Council will be testifying in support of this bill.

Tuesday February 6, 2007

HB 40 (Gallik): Amending of the Big Sky on the Big Screen Act – film bill, was anticipated for executive action several times this week, and is currently scheduled for Tuesday, February 6, in House Taxation Committee which meets at 8:00 a.m.  The committee will only be taking executive action that day.

SB 284 (Moss): Tourism Partners Plan – “Best Place First Initiative” has been scheduled for committee hearing on Tuesday, February 6, at 3:00 p.m., in the Senate Local Government Committee.   The anticipated location of this hearing is the Old Supreme Court Chambers, Room 303, in anticipation of a large crowd.  This bill would redirect the 3% lodging sales and use tax and 4% car rental tax from the General Fund to the tourism marketing partners, (statewide, regional and local), and to the sense of place partners for preservation and maintenance of Montana’s cultural and heritage treasures. 

HB 480 (Lake): Funding restoration, operation, and maintenance of Daly mansion is  scheduled for hearing Tuesday, February 6, 2007 in House Appropriations Committee Room 102, upon House Floor Adjournment.  This bill provides annual funding from the 3% lodging sales and use tax for maintenance and restoration of the Daly Mansion.  Annual funding of $50,000 is to be used for maintenance and restoration and another $100,000 annually is to be put into a trust for future use.  The funding terminates following a period of 10 years beginning July 1, 2007. 

Highlights from this past week:

HB 147 (Jopek):  Revise and clarify application of bed tax and sales and use tax.   Executive Action took place Wednesday 1/31/07 and the bill was tabled in committee.   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.   

HB 517 (Branae):  Revise scenic byways laws: Referred to House Transportation Committee. The hearing date has not been scheduled yet.  This bill will revise provisions governing the scenic-historic byways program.   

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 General Government and Transportation	02/06/2007; 8 AM, Rm 472	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) 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) 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) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended-- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	02/02/2007	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) 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) 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) Referred to Committee-- (H) Appropriations	01/29/2007	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) Referred to Committee-- (H) Transportation	02/01/2007	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) Referred to Committee-- (H) Transportation	02/01/2007	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
HJ 3	John L Musgrove	(S) Hearing-- (S) Highways and Transportation	02/06/2007; 3 PM, Rm 405	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) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended-- (S) Fish and Game	01/31/2007	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) 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) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended-- (S) Taxation	01/30/2007	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 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) 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) Referred to Committee-- (S) Taxation	02/02/2007	Revise distribution of lodging facility use taxes
SJ 3	Dan Weinberg	(S) Hearing-- (S) Natural Resources and Energy	02/05/2007; 3 PM, Rm 422	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
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