Helena, Montana 59601

Phone/Fax 406-443-2370

January 11, 2009

LOBBYIST ACTIVITY REPORT

2009 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

WEEK ONE

(January 5 – January 10, 2009)

Legislative activity for Week One of the 2009 Legislative Session included a number of training and informational meetings for the Legislators and the various legislative staff. Numerous bills were assigned to the appropriate Committees.

SB 57: A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT GENERALLY REVISING THE LAWS RELATING TO SPECIAL DISTRICTS; ALLOWING FOR THE CREATION OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WORKING INDIVIDUALLY AND JOINTLY; ESTABLISHING UNIFORM STANDARDS FOR THE CREATION, ADMINISTRATION, AND OPERATION OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS BY GOVERNING BODIES AND ELECTED OR APPOINTED BOARDS; ELIMINATING SPECIFIC PROVISIONS RELATING TO CEMETERY DISTRICTS, COUNTY MUSEUMS, FACILITIES FOR THE ARTS, MUSEUM DISTRICTS, COUNTY PARK DISTRICTS, COUNTY FAIR COMMISSIONS, COUNTY FAIR DISTRICTS, MULTICOUNTY FAIR DISTRICTS, HOSPITAL DISTRICTS, JOINT SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, LOCAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, MOSQUITO CONTROL DISTRICTS, MULTIJURISDICTIONAL SERVICE DISTRICTS, PARK MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS, ROAD IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, RODENT CONTROL DISTRICTS, RURAL FIRE DISTRICTS, SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, AND TELEVISION DISTRICTS; AMENDING SECTIONS . . .

The purpose of this bill is to develop uniform standards for the creation of the various special districts outlined in the title of the bill. This bill does not include the creation of business improvement districts, cattle protective districts, conservancy districts, conservation districts, water and sewer districts, planning and zoning districts, drainage districts, grazing districts, irrigation districts, library districts, livestock protective committees, parking districts, resort area districts, rural improvement districts, special improvement districts, lighting districts, street maintenance districts, tax increment financing districts, urban transportation districts, water conservation and flood control projects, and weed management districts. I monitored this legislation.

SB 58: A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT GENERALLY REVISING THE LAWS RELATING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS; ALLOWING CONTRACTING WITH PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS FOR THE SALE OF BONDS RELATED TO RURAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS AND SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS; REQUIRING THE REPORTING OF SPECIAL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES TO THE STATE FOR PURPOSES OF DIGITAL MAPPING; AMENDING SECTIONS 7-12-2172 AND 7-12-4204, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE."

The purpose of the bill is to allow local governments to contract with private institutions for the sate of bonds related to rural improvement districts and special improvement districts. It also requires that the local government report the boundaries of the districts to the State for the purposes of digital mapping. I monitored this legislation.

SB 12: A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT INCLUDING THE ACCUMULATED INTEREST EARNED ON THE PORTION OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION TAXES ALLOCATED TO COUNTIES IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE TAXES; AMENDING SECTIONS 15-36-331 AND 15-36-332, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND AN APPLICABILITY DATE."

Senate Bill 12 was introduced by Senator Steinbeisser. The purpose of this bill is to correct a problem that was created in the 2003 Legislature when the law regarding the distribution of the oil and natural gas production tax was amended. In 2003, the law was amended to require the oil and natural gas tax revenues that were collected in each County were to be sent to the Department of Revenue for disbursement. The Department of Revenue would then keep the portion of the State tax and disburse back to the County where the tax was collected the County’s share of the tax. However, the 2003 amendment did not specify that the interest earned on the oil and natural gas production tax revenues that were earned while the funds were in the possession of the State should be paid to the County. SB 12 requires that for all oil and natural gas production taxes collected after July 2009, the State will distribute the County’s share of the tax back to the County and also the interest earned on those funds while those County tax revenues are in the possession of the State. I provided testimony in support of this legislation.

SB 23: A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT CLARIFYING AND SEPARATING REVENUE STREAMS TO THE OIL, GAS, AND COAL NATURAL RESOURCE ACCOUNT; SPECIFICALLY EARMARKING THE COAL TAX DISTRIBUTION FOR THE COAL BOARD TO BE USED FOR LOCAL IMPACT GRANTS; AMENDING SECTIONS 15-35-108, 15-36-304, 15-36-331, 15-36-332, AND 90-6-1001, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE."

The purpose of this bill is to specifically earmark those revenues that are generated by the Coal Tax that are presently allocated to the Oil, Gas and Coal Natural Resource Account to the Coal Board for the use by the Coal Board for local impact grants. I monitored this legislation.

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT STANDARDIZING THE STATUTES RELATED TO TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICTS BY CORRECTING CERTAIN INTERNAL REFERENCES AND TERMINOLOGY AND BY ENSURING CONSISTENT APPLICATION OF CERTAIN STATUTES TO EACH TYPE OF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT; AMENDING SECTIONS 7-15-4282, 7-15-4283, 7-15-4284, 7-15-4286, 7-15-4288, 7-15-4290, 7-15-4292, 7-15-4293, 7-15-4294, 7-15-4295, 7-15-4296, 7-15-4299, 7-15-4301, 7-15-4302, 7-15-4304, 7-15-4324, AND 17-5-820, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE."

This bill was described by the sponsor has a “house cleaning” bill to clarify some language in the bill; and, add a reference to an “aerospace transportation and technology district.” I monitored this legislation.