[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6299652,"mediaKeyId","2495945-f433e7132cbb6813ee09cd84513825e7","parentId",2495945,"title","Committee advances HB 681 to shorten water-availability reviews for subdivisions; vote 18-5","audioSeconds",381,"startMs",2395000,"endMs",2776000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2495945-f433e7132cbb6813ee09cd84513825e7&start=2395&end=2776","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2495945-f433e7132cbb6813ee09cd84513825e7/thumbnail_2395000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6299652/Montana/Committee-advances-HB-681-to-shorten-water-availability-reviews-for-subdivisions-vote-18-5","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6299652-df73078f04218b39b0befb5c6b2182d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775008153&Signature=nlw4BFUnPHwhnEeKPKU3Ir86j1s6M-vd7UWBa4360eZHHSXvXmZu9FFqF2QliYVmc529H88cQ-iiQWpAU--i4Tpn0yd2xcAyIZZaBMZAIEVSKoUDbCGTiymtgpdRD4YOmnoJkZqorWzWVlDpOpUPgQxhnJiZEEqUL2H84nFZHPZuOUDO1GzFwbPkhQjtfUyr9VPLf1YoDqt1Ustf9snK6j9K0ZCnD5tQB2DxwkQ1ska3LW5eM~CncvEqFposPFvJYfbIewrLiss7cm-zye5Pqz29MFd7nNrTkPTZ4f0wVl0uXr5WuqnWcBkr~34hqHFKw5z85l-um-k95kIOZws4Lw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montana Legislature","date","2025-03-04T00:00:00Z","article","The Montana House Appropriations Committee voted 18-5 to advance House Bill 681, a measure intended to speed state determinations of water availability in the subdivision review process.

A committee member moved the do-pass recommendation on HB 681, describing it as a narrow bill that asks agencies to coordinate and meet faster deadlines. \"This is actually probably the only bill that has not been controversial to this point,\" the sponsor said during debate, adding that the measure grew from the Horse Creek decision and is meant to streamline interagency review.

Supporters, including committee members who said constituents had told them the permitting process was clogged, said shortening review windows would provide earlier clarity for developers and landowners. Representative Walsh said the measure helps by allowing developers to obtain water-certification earlier in the process so they know whether a proposed lot has a reliable water source instead of waiting until after permits are issued.

Opponents and some questioners warned about details. Representative Matthews asked where rights to water would come from for exempt wells and whether the 10-day review window would create automatic approvals if an agency failed to act. A committee member responded that the bill does not establish automatic approval; instead, the bill requires agencies to respond faster and return notices that the proposed use is acceptable or identify problems, such as being in a controlled groundwater area.

Committee discussion also acknowledged financial costs tied to faster review and the risk of unintended consequences for downstream water users and agriculture. One committee member said the change felt \"ambitious\" and asked for better understanding of the various references in the bill to water rights, exempt wells and municipal systems.

The committee held a roll-call vote; the clerk announced 18 votes in favor and 5 opposed and moved the bill forward with a do-pass recommendation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Appropriations - Mar 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Montana House Appropriations Committee voted 18-5 to advance House Bill 681, which shortens state review timeframes for water-availability determinations in subdivision reviews.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MT, Montana","taxId",77694,"location","Montana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6299657,"Committee backs HB 567 to incentivize multi-district school collaboration; sponsors, supporters say statewide rollout will be gradual",1741,459000,2200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2495945-f433e7132cbb6813ee09cd84513825e7&start=459&end=2200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2495945-f433e7132cbb6813ee09cd84513825e7/thumbnail_459000.jpg","/articles/6299657/Montana/Committee-backs-HB-567-to-incentivize-multi-district-school-collaboration-sponsors-supporters-say-statewide-rollout-will-be-gradual","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6299657-67a3b29826ccd00481ce80769e987e3e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775008153&Signature=T0FuCq-SnR4xMJMWvjGZzI-mzlzp52Y1vr6nLcfxsI1bqnmF9MNan4wai1U~GjB9ILBtEKN~-r4v8jUUH0uyIPXrccpPWILRtf7-2MbP1~wmx9xoj~Y7oc-tJNSix7af8uLgL6FBwLYthOmLdYyrItwnErKctW2boEhCQsPnZmisjmMc9XtUWxmkpqYLkbFlbFP4NVB2ePnW5ijZZbymxLjWfxld0OtuE9ker09T~Ks4u3jUN83UR60yca9aiNUIEgWIuJXkOdP-HzzC0giCs83JA3E4tADvozRatnbXR2sOKGfVUydGHRNxZubhGv6mPF2hamZH8S65eEFSsaqeQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Montana House Appropriations Committee voted unanimously to give House Bill 567 a do-pass recommendation after a hearing in which sponsors and education advocates argued the measure encourages districts to share services while preserving local control.

Representative Barker, the bill sponsor, said the proposal lets districts voluntarily form countywide agreements to collaborate on services such as transportation, curriculum support and administration and offers an incentive tied to the state's quality educator payment. \"There are no mandates in this bill. It's still local control, local choice,\" Barker said in closing remarks before the committee voted to advance the bill.

Paul Taylor, an Office of Public Instruction (OPI) staff member, appeared as an informational witness to answer fiscal questions. A longset of technical questions in the fiscal note prompted extended testimony from an attorney who said he was speaking on behalf of the coalition of advocates for Montana's public schools and who identified himself as a school attorney with roughly 30 years of school law practice. \"This is a big lift. It's a big change in culture,\" the attorney said, arguing that the fiscal note's estimate of \"a little over $5,000,000\" should not be assumed to take effect in the current biennium because qualification for the incentive requires signed interdistrict contracts and an OPI certification process that would not be completed quickly.

He detailed a number of technical-note issues flagged in the fiscal analysis, including how the bill treats contracting with private entities, where expenditures are recorded, and how OPI would calculate and distribute the incentive. \"The contract is king under this bill,\" he told the committee, adding that the statute as drafted would allow districts to contract with public or private entities but would not shift state funds into private accounts.

Committee members pressed on reporting and accountability. Representative Kroll raised concerns tied to a pending class-action, Yellow Kidney v. OPI, and asked how the bill would ensure \"robust reporting requirements\" so funds intended for American Indian education and other specified purposes are used as required. Representative Barker and the attorney replied that the bill does not change existing reporting requirements and that OPI already has rulemaking authority and an audit process to verify compliance. The committee also noted specific funding line items cited in the fiscal note, including the American Indian achievement-gap payment ($695,750) and an \"Internet for all\" line ($70,808), and asked for clearer reporting language.

Members described anticipated benefits: shared transportation fleets, joint curriculum support, and ability to pool specialized teachers or programs across low-enrollment districts. Members who supported the bill said those efficiencies could reduce local property-tax pressure over time, while critics warned the measure requires a substantial commitment from districts and that many small districts receive only modest annual funding today.

Representative Barker asked for the committee's support, and the committee approved a do-pass recommendation by voice vote; the clerk recorded the action as passing unanimously.

The bill now moves forward from the committee with a do-pass recommendation.","The Montana House Appropriations Committee voted unanimously to advance House Bill 567, which would create a state incentive for countywide multi-district agreements allowing school districts to share services and programs while preserving local control.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6299648,"Bill to include airport authority public-safety employees in firefighter retirement system fails in committee; later tabled",275,2760000,3035000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2495945-f433e7132cbb6813ee09cd84513825e7&start=2760&end=3035","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2495945-f433e7132cbb6813ee09cd84513825e7/thumbnail_2760000.jpg","/articles/6299648/Montana/Bill-to-include-airport-authority-public-safety-employees-in-firefighter-retirement-system-fails-in-committee-later-tabled","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6299648-decaae60b33d780d74bcb42e933c3e64/orig.mp4?Expires=1775008153&Signature=VhS98Gr9CH2KTsO9o~rYuX-FIk1ji9HxMBKssbonLhG5DybF1MdbazBcm6rIaRek9pOBCGrkm1MsL3xtrIcL910QROMSP5~oh9YXiMsUhBRsi0RG-6EJW-B2eg8RIKm5PmZ5pBS78d6GzUoHSpngjVCqA5iv3DeTGx4Wumo1lIRePYIZxzrwLqNI-u6Ry42EoX6TyheyVDo8XvZhsWDS7Wxs-wGuXKt95r2v6FKQ5zTPRbqJvkqo1lUPYpzhZ3tPwopBwhwdBjDrKlNyiEzQQ~7WqU16CYkZOPZZq5fngH-oSjkfh2jlSCSrYzSQoPfS0D4fXlO5p4DEuik4vOvH0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 640, proposing to revise membership in the firefighters' retirement system to include airport authority public-safety employees, failed on a 10-13 roll-call vote in the House Appropriations Committee and was then tabled by unanimous consent.

A committee member moved to advance the bill, describing the measure as changing membership and retirement coverage for personnel who serve at airports. Supporters cited the work of airport firefighters and urged the committee to provide retirement access. Representative Matthews told the committee he supported the bill on principle and stressed that airport firefighters \"are doing the work\" and deserve retirement coverage.

Opponents said the bill merited more study. Several members questioned whether Missoula's arrangement'where airport personnel may perform both fire duties and other public-safety tasks'was unique and raised concerns about creating incentives for more jurisdictions to adopt similar staffing structures without fully understanding the pension and operational consequences. One committee member said Missoula's model was a \"unicorn\" and that more research was necessary before expanding eligibility statewide.

The roll-call vote was 10 in favor and 13 opposed; the clerk announced the tally and that the bill had failed. Immediately after the vote, the chair announced a request to reverse the vote and table the bill; the chair said, \"Without objection reverse the vote to table. The bill is tabled.\"

Because the committee voted against advancing the bill and then placed it on the table, HB 640 will not proceed at this time unless it is later removed from the table.","House Bill 640, which would have revised membership rules to allow airport authority public-safety employees to join the firemen's retirement system, failed on a 10-13 roll-call vote in committee and was subsequently placed on the table by unanimous consent after the vote reversal was requested.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances HB 681 to shorten water-availability reviews for subdivisions; vote 18-5

Committee backs HB 567 to incentivize multi-district school collaboration; sponsors, supporters say statewide rollout will be gradual

Bill to include airport authority public-safety employees in firefighter retirement system fails in committee; later tabled