If you’ve been monitoring the Legislature this past week, you are no doubt aware that the House passed a series of budget bills to the Senate.  The Senate is now consolidating several of these budget bills.  We passed another deadline this week of transmittal of appropriation bills (67th day).  Next Tuesday  (4/3/07) is the deadline for transmittal of revenue bills (71st day) and next Thursday (4/5/07) is transmittal of amendments for general bills (73rd day).

The highlight of this week as it relates to tourism and film legislation was the hearing of HB 40 (Gallik) Revise state movie incentive laws – “Big Sky on the Big Screen Act”.  This bill was heard in Senate Taxation today, Friday, March 30.  There were no opponents.

Highlights from this past week:

HB 9 (Kasten) Cultural and aesthetic grants.  This bill passed the House and was transmitted to the Senate.

HB 106 (Cordier) Remove Commerce as ombudsman regarding Flathead Lake Management.  This bill was signed into law.
 
HB 235 (Dutton) Business improvement district law.  This bill was concurred as Amended in Senate Local Government.  As of this writing the LAWS system had not been updated as to the amendment.  Some amendments discussed during the hearing and one in particular would require the Convention Visitors Bureau manager to also be the manager for the new BID created through this legislation.  

HB 480 (Lake) Fund restoration and maintenance of Daly mansion.  This bill passed the House and was referred to the Senate Finance and Claims Committee.  No hearing has been scheduled yet.

HB 519 (Kasten) Fund Montana cowboy hall of fame.  This bill was amended and after almost dying in the House, it was passed onto the Senate.

HB 539 (Groesbeck) Appropriate funds for Butte-Silver Bow cultural development.  This bill was taken off the table in the House Appropriation Committee, passed the House and was transmitted to the Senate.

HB 574 (Hiner) Assist Deer Lodging in rebuilding the Rialto theater. This bill passed the House and was transmitted to the Senate.

HB 830 (Kasten) Appropriate money for construction & maintenance of public buildings and systems.   Much of the original HB 5 funding was put into this bill unfortunately it currently does not contain the additional funding for the Heritage Commission or Parks that was in the original Governor’s budget.  This bill has been transmitted to the Senate.

SB 418 (Weinberg): revise distribution of lodging facility use taxes for certain qualifying cities.  This bill was tabled in House Taxation Committee.

Upcoming highlights:

SB 284 (Moss/Perry) Revise allocation of bed tax and taxes on rental cars.  Since this is classified as a General Bill, the House Taxation Committee would need to take action on it by early next week in order for the House to return it to the Senate with any amendments by April 5.

SJ 3 (Weinberg) Urge funding for restoration of parks, battlefields and monuments.  This is scheduled for a hearing in the House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. in Room 152

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.  Please note that bills that have failed to meet transmittal deadlines will be removed from further reports.

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) Missed Deadline for Appropriation Bill Transmittal*	03/29/2007	General appropriations act
HB 5	Tim Callahan	(H) Missed Deadline for Appropriation Bill Transmittal*	03/29/2007	Long-range building appropriations
HB 9	Dave Kasten	(H) Transmitted to Senate	03/27/2007	Cultural and aesthetic grants
HB 40	Dave Gallik	(S) Hearing -- (S) Taxation	03/30/2007; 9 AM, Rm 405	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	(S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended -- (S) Local Government	03/30/2007	Business improvement district law
HB 284	Shannon Augare	(H) Transmitted to Governor	03/29/2007	Improve Giant Springs state park - agreement with Little Shell Tribe
HB 299	Mike Milburn	(S) Hearing -- (S) Judiciary	03/29/2007; 8 AM, Rm 303	Revise laws governing ski areas and passenger ropeways
HB 348	Jim Keane	(S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred -- (S) Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs	03/30/2007	Increase out-of-state snowmobile fees
HB 377	Harry Klock	(H) Missed Deadline for Appropriation Bill Transmittal*	03/29/2007	Appropriation for forest service history museum and education center
HB 451	Julie French	(H) Missed Deadline for Appropriation Bill Transmittal*	03/29/2007	Small town renewal program
HB 480	Bob Lake	(S) Referred to Committee -- (S) Finance and Claims	03/27/2007	Fund restoration and maintenance of Daly mansion
HB 519	Dave Kasten	(H) Transmitted to Senate	03/29/2007	Fund Montana cowboy hall of fame
HB 531	Carol Lambert	(H) Transmitted to Governor	03/22/2007	Designate warrior trail
HB 539	George G Groesbeck	(H) Transmitted to Senate	03/29/2007	Appropriate funds for Butte-Silver Bow cultural development
HB 574	Cynthia Hiner	(H) Transmitted to Senate	03/29/2007	Assist Deer Lodge in rebuilding Rialto theater
HB 667	Jesse O'Hara	(H) Missed Deadline for Appropriation Bill Transmittal*	03/29/2007	Funding for Lewis and Clark tourism site endowments
HB 691	Dan Villa	(H) Missed Deadline for Appropriation Bill Transmittal*	03/29/2007	Create Montana Film Arts Program
HB 759	Gordon R Hendrick	(S) Returned to House with Amendments	03/23/2007	Revise fee system funding search & rescue
HB 830	Dave Kasten	(H) Transmitted to Senate	03/29/2007	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	(S) Signed by Governor	03/27/2007	Establish Robert E. Ewing Jr. memorial highway
SB 76	Kim Gillan	(S) Signed by Governor	03/27/2007	Revise law on agency access to tax and revenue information
SB 78	Lane L Larson	(H) Hearing -- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	04/03/2007; 3 PM, Rm 152	Clarify stream access from bridges
SB 88	Bob Hawks	(S) Transmitted to Governor	03/23/2007	Extend indefinitely funding to heritage preservation and development account
SB 100	Larry Jent	(H) Committee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended -- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	03/30/2007	Revise outfitter laws/ felony outfitting without license
SB 174	Jim Elliott	(H) Referred to Committee -- (H) Taxation	03/28/2007	Revise laws on revenue administration
SB 233	Jim Elliott	(H) Hearing -- (H) Taxation	03/30/2007; 8 AM, Rm 152	Allow multiple counties to create museum districts
SB 284	Lynda Moss	(H) Hearing -- (H) Taxation	03/22/2007; 8 AM, Rm 152	Revise allocation of bed tax and taxes on rental cars
SB 299	Lynda Moss	(H) Committee Report--Bill Concurred -- (H) State Administration	03/28/2007	Revise laws on historic preservation and cultural tourism
SB 301	Lynda Moss	(H) Referred to Committee -- (H) Appropriations	03/27/2007	Authorize bond issuance for historic preservation
SB 318	Jim Peterson	(H) Committee Report--Bill Concurred -- (H) Judiciary	03/29/2007	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) Hearing -- (H) Natural Resources	03/30/2007; 3 PM, Rm 472	Revise standards for hot springs
SB 525	Jim Elliott	(H) Hearing -- (H) Taxation	03/30/2007; 8 AM, Rm 152	Clarify duties of state treasurer regarding deposit of tax and fees
SJ 3	Dan Weinberg	(H) Hearing -- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	04/03/2007; 3 PM, Rm 152	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

Just a reminder that the 2007 Montana Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Recreation will be held in Helena at the Red Lion Inn, on April 2nd and 3rd.  For conference information and registration form please refer to:  http://www.travelmontana.state.mt.us/conference/   

Until next week…