Helena, Montana 59601

Phone/Fax 406-443-2370

February 6, 2009

LOBBYIST ACTIVITY REPORT

2009 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

WEEK FOUR

(January 25 – January 31, 2009)

During Week Four of the 2009 Legislative Session, I followed the legislation listed below.

SJ 7: A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO H.R. 2421. This Senate Joint Resolution would express Montana’s opposition to federal legislation, H.R. 2421. H.R. 2421seeks to clarify jurisdiction by striking the term “navigable waters” and replacing it with “waters of the United States.” Striking the term “navigable waters” would potentially expand the federal government’s reach beyond what was intended in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and thereby blur jurisdictional authority to manage and regulate water resources with the sate and local government jurisdictions. I monitored this legislation.

SB 48: "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 . . ." I am monitoring this legislation.

HJ 8: A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA EXPANDING SPENDING AUTHORITY TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR COMBINING THE OFFICES OF ENDORSING THE OPPORTUNITY PROVIDED BY RICHLAND COUNTY TO CREATE A COMBINED FACILITY FOR THE RICHLAND COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE WITH AND THE MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY MONTANA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION AT THE EASTERN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER, SIDNEY, MONTANA. This House Joint Resolution endorses the opportunity provided by Richland County to create a combined facility for the Richland County Extension Office and the Montana State University Montana Agricultural Experiment Station at the Eastern Agricultural Research Center in Sidney. The REDC is supporting this House Joint Resolution

SB 23: "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 REDC is monitoring this legislation.

HB 2: A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT APPROPRIATING MONEY TO VARIOUS STATE AGENCIES FOR THE BIENNIUM ENDING JUNE 30, 2011; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE." The REDC supported the budget appropriation request for the Department of Agriculture.