The focus of the past week has been on the fate of the six republican budget bills, nicknamed the “six pack” bills.   All six of these bills passed out of the House Appropriations Committee on a party line vote of 11-8.   It is anticipated that these bills will be heard on the House Floor mid week. Although the Department of Commerce general fund budget is included in these bills, the funding for the Montana Promotion Division is statutorily appropriated and not affected.

There has been no action this week on the two major pieces of legislation we’ve been monitoring: SB 284 (Moss/Perry) Tourism Partners Plan – “Best Place First Initiative”, and HB 40 (Gallik) “Amending the Big Sky on the Big Screen Act.”  Senator Bob Hawks has agreed to sponsor HB 40 in the Senate.  We are checking daily to see which committees the leadership will be referring each of these bills to.

Highlights from this past week:

HB 106 (Cordier):  Removes Commerce as ombudsman regarding Flathead Lake management. This bill passed out of Senate Business, Labor, and Economic Committee (11-0) and is scheduled for 2nd Reading today, Friday, 3/9/07.  

HB 531 (Lambert):  Designate warrior trail.  This bill was heard in the Senate Highways and Transportation Committee on Thursday, 3/8/07.

HB 691 (Villa): Create Montana Film Arts Program.  This bill was tabled in the House Education Committee on Thursday 3/8/07.

SB 29 (Frank Smith):  Establish Robert E. Ewing Jr. memorial highway.  This bill was heard in House Transportation Committee today, Friday, 3/9/07.

SB 88 (Hawks):  Extends allocation funding to heritage preservation and development account.  This bill was heard in House Taxation Committee Thursday, 3/8/07. 

Upcoming highlights:

HB 348 (Keane):  Increase out-of-state snowmobile fees.  This bill is scheduled for hearing in House Appropriations on Monday, 3/12/07 at 9:00 a.m. in Room 102.

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 2	John Sinrud	(H) Tabled in Committee* -- (H) Appropriations	02/14/2007	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	02/13/2007; 8 AM, Rm 350	Cultural and aesthetic grants
HB 40	Dave Gallik	(H) Transmitted to Senate	02/19/2007	Revise state movie incentive laws
HB 106	Douglas Cordier	(S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading	03/09/2007	Remove Commerce as ombudsman regarding Flathead Lake management
HB 235	Ernie Dutton	(H) Transmitted to Senate	02/14/2007	Business improvement district law
HB 284	Shannon Augare	(H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading	03/09/2007	Improve Giant Springs state park - agreement with Little Shell Tribe
HB 299	Mike Milburn	(S) Referred to Committee -- (S) Judiciary	03/07/2007	Revise laws governing ski areas and passenger ropeways
HB 348	Jim Keane	(H) Hearing -- (H) Appropriations	03/12/2007; 9 AM, Rm 102	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 519	Dave Kasten	(H) Hearing -- (H) Appropriations	02/13/2007; 9 AM, Rm 102	Fund Montana cowboy hall of fame
HB 531	Carol Lambert	(S) Hearing -- (S) Highways and Transportation	03/13/2007; 3 PM, Rm 405	Designate warrior trail
HB 539	George G Groesbeck	(H) Hearing -- (H) Appropriations	02/13/2007; 9 AM, Rm 102	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
HB 667	Jesse O'Hara	(H) Rereferred to Committee -- (H) Appropriations	02/24/2007	Funding for Lewis and Clark tourism site endowments
HB 691	Dan Villa	(H) Tabled in Committee* -- (H) Education	03/08/2007	Create Montana Film Arts Program
HB 759	Gordon R Hendrick	(S) Hearing -- (S) Fish and Game	03/15/2007; 3 PM, Rm 422	Revise fee system funding search & rescue
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	(H) Hearing -- (H) Transportation	03/09/2007; 3 PM, Rm 455	Establish Robert E. Ewing Jr. memorial highway
SB 76	Kim Gillan	(H) Hearing -- (H) Taxation	03/09/2007; 8 AM, Rm 152	Revise law on agency access to tax and revenue information
SB 78	Lane L Larson	(H) Referred to Committee -- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	03/07/2007	Clarify stream access from bridges
SB 88	Bob Hawks	(H) Hearing -- (H) Taxation	03/08/2007; 8 AM, Rm 152	Extend allocation of funding to heritage preservation and development account
SB 100	Larry Jent	(H) Hearing -- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	03/22/2007; 3 PM, Rm 152	Revise outfitter laws/ felony outfitting without license
SB 174	Jim Elliott	(S) Hearing -- (S) Taxation	01/11/2007; 9 AM, Rm 405	Revise laws on revenue administration
SB 233	Jim Elliott	(S) Transmitted to House	02/07/2007	Allow multiple counties to create museum districts
SB 284	Lynda Moss	(H) Referred to Committee -- (H) Taxation	03/09/2007	Revise allocation of bed tax and taxes on rental cars
SB 299	Lynda Moss	(S) Transmitted to House	02/17/2007	Revise laws on historic preservation and cultural tourism
SB 301	Lynda Moss	(S) Transmitted to House	02/17/2007	Authorize bond issuance for historic preservation
SB 318	Jim Peterson	(S) Transmitted to House	02/16/2007	Extend recreational use immunity to aircraft
SB 418	Dan Weinberg	(S) Transmitted to House	02/21/2007	Revise distribution of lodging facility use taxes
SB 431	Greg Lind	(S) Transmitted to House	02/24/2007	Revise standards for hot springs
SB 525	Jim Elliott	(S) Transmitted to House	02/26/2007	Clarify duties of state treasurer regarding deposit of tax and fees
SJ 3	Dan Weinberg	(S) Transmitted to House	02/08/2007	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

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…

 

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