[{"_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",6126985,"mediaKeyId","2665159-db222074b7d6541eec42d8c6e8cbbe29","parentId",2665159,"title","House transportation committee concurs to eliminate Scenic Historic Byways Advisory Council","audioSeconds",3355,"startMs",683000,"endMs",4038000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2665159-db222074b7d6541eec42d8c6e8cbbe29&start=683&end=4038","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2665159-db222074b7d6541eec42d8c6e8cbbe29/thumbnail_683000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6126985/Montana/House-transportation-committee-concurs-to-eliminate-Scenic-Historic-Byways-Advisory-Council","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6126985-ad15a2610c3701ce09ad6861929ea067/orig.mp4?Expires=1775641051&Signature=RVw0ww-LOHOEtV3cEag6i9kPMj3GNazzlb0o1w1anLRRVTuIb3Umf~1nWmqE7zC8OOUnOteTPpWvIwfKHkzmDJL8uZMc0ysJIniGhcOt8rt5zp4VfMLpnShMipZyziZumR6SIvKCG0~iF-Bz1imm5ZzHftlBWq7cy0BLsq0TXH5RQvg5KiR93lUWxYdeZye4hxJP8~zwD2BJaGdTbY1SN6gXVFFbqvDTuU8a-7g-KgeuLKu2N4PdQlN8gY8raztwJgAbxhiAmB6CwHfJ2lMke9dAdwwml6YDOFr7c7StoILXAaB0tWTd87Imns9prNH5ekByfhJaZCstyhdoBw8gzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montana Legislature","date","2025-03-17T00:00:00Z","article","The House Transportation Committee unanimously voted to concur in Senate Bill 309, an act to eliminate the Scenic Historic Byways Advisory Council, during executive action on Feb. 12, 2025. Senator Becky Beard sponsored the bill and presented it to the committee.

The bill would remove the advisory council created in 1999 to review applications for designation of scenic historic byways and to recommend designations to the Montana Transportation Commission. \"Members of the committee, you have before you today for your consideration Senate Bill 309, which will eliminate the Scenic History, Byways Advisory Council,\" Senator Becky Beard told the committee during the hearing.

Rob Stapley, rail transit and planning division administrator for the Montana Department of Transportation, told the committee that no applications for new designations have been received since 2010 and that the council has had no assigned work for roughly 15 years. \"Since there has been no work for this council for the last 15 years, we would like to remove this requirement to be more efficient and effective with our time and the time of our commission,\" Stapley said. He also said the department has not incurred costs for the council because it has not met and the members are volunteers.

Stapley read names of the three committee members that the department submits annually to the Transportation Commission \"for the record\": Ed Dijo, Diz Rozier, Elizabeth Casselli and Sheila Ludlow, and noted Sheila Ludlow is an MDT employee. Committee members asked whether removing the advisory council would affect the scenic byway signage or the byway program itself; staff replied that the bill removes only the advisory council requirement and not the scenic byway designations.

Vice Chair Wirth moved that the committee concur in the bill; the committee approved the motion by voice vote, with Vice Chair Baum announcing proxy aye votes for Representatives Cafaro, Fitzpatrick, Staffman and Sullivan. The committee recorded the motion as passing unanimously, and Vice Chair Wirth will carry the bill to the House floor.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Transportation Mar 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The House Transportation Committee unanimously voted to concur in Senate Bill 309, which would eliminate the Scenic Historic Byways Advisory Council.","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},6126975,"Committee passes bill to end Lewis and Clark bicentennial specialty plate program, shift process to DOJ",1693,2483000,4176000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2665159-db222074b7d6541eec42d8c6e8cbbe29&start=2483&end=4176","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2665159-db222074b7d6541eec42d8c6e8cbbe29/thumbnail_2483000.jpg","/articles/6126975/Montana/Committee-passes-bill-to-end-Lewis-and-Clark-bicentennial-specialty-plate-program-shift-process-to-DOJ","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6126975-cb19e598b8c32e7ad989faf2b671df73/orig.mp4?Expires=1775641051&Signature=BnPJH-5DQ6rYAblTAi3Pe2XfntXWgnv48yK~98JLX31DanITJcKDFxuFBd67W0-oNN-prCY5ag5yzQK0cMYxigp2YXfsk0EM2WBeG0LhJehgEas9DvZg2rgTS57gq8fQmBalmrYFc9x8XrqiWtKYFldFPaFr92JP6BdaeIlUZK4rluLc~kMysCf-C4Fmr1bSaEQ9gKr~2fP-j8Nc1Jy5X3fZOzNq8XJRLRnIise3gFVzl7jQHDRyIdN2k6hS5w4QMZA5azUlvmKdvZaFqQ~RlKntqJP5hSz8ERge-I29ov1S99t1vKNBbWHLupmImUIhN~thQrwBONIDc~RmgTTTPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Transportation Committee voted unanimously to pass House Bill 641 on Feb. 12, 2025, an act repealing the Lewis and Clark bicentennial specialty license plate program and removing the Department of Commerce account associated with it. Representative Courtney Sprunger sponsored the bill at the request of the Department of Commerce.

\"This bill corrects that oversight by removing the outdated statutory program and the plate, bringing it in line with every other specialty plate that underwent the same process in 2021,\" Representative Sprunger said during the hearing. She and Commerce staff said the change does not eliminate the ability of the three nonprofits that previously received funds — the Lewis and Clark Foundation, Travelers' Rest and Friends of Pompeys Pillar — to participate; the organizations can apply to the Department of Justice's streamlined specialty-plate program.

Mandy Rambo, deputy director at the Montana Department of Commerce, told the committee Commerce notified affected organizations in August 2023 and provided links and application assistance for DOJ's process. Rambo said demand for the bicentennial plate has declined since the bicentennial period and that the organizations may fall below DOJ's 400-plate threshold. She said fiscal-year 2024 sales were \"over 500 plates sold,\" but also noted overall sales have declined since 2021; Representative Sprunger said in 2021 each organization received just over 3,300 (as stated in her opening). Rambo said Commerce can assist the nonprofits with redesign and outreach to meet DOJ requirements.

Molly Krukenberg, director of the Montana Historical Society, appeared as an informational witness and said her understanding was that the plate was established in 2007 and that the Historical Society participated in the Lewis and Clark bicentennial celebration.

Vice Chair Wirth moved the bill; the committee approved the motion by voice vote, with Vice Chair Baum announcing proxy ayes for Representatives Cafaro, Fitzpatrick, Staffman and Sullivan. The vote was recorded as unanimous and House Bill 641 will go to second reading on the House floor.","The House Transportation Committee voted unanimously to pass House Bill 641, which repeals the Lewis and Clark bicentennial specialty license plate program and removes its Department of Commerce account.",{"_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},6126980,"Committee concurs to add RV dealers to motor-vehicle dealer protections, clarify off-premise sales",2992,1122000,4114000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2665159-db222074b7d6541eec42d8c6e8cbbe29&start=1122&end=4114","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2665159-db222074b7d6541eec42d8c6e8cbbe29/thumbnail_1122000.jpg","/articles/6126980/Montana/Committee-concurs-to-add-RV-dealers-to-motor-vehicle-dealer-protections-clarify-off-premise-sales","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6126980-cfc09d9d33ea384b41800366d3c4cc3b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775641051&Signature=GQMGSdYU3YrIPfPbtYK6QypEf--B7YWEq3uA4l5AGdo2iJz6zX6OcFpEEPLLLCIMELsC8wT5~-51YLiZtZuMs2tcsFn7x16MrGAJ9in5jGb0nZMkbbV3MZGyfiS4iHTzrguHTG7CPs6u4ovuqHEu~JFkuxsttnv3bvo65wAwXO8flbp48nmoOJf5aTsGbawrjgHU7gvPnjZtoRDvPdDTN9WkmUYXjAIDHYxnDF59wuh9nO5Cm8vOVEdYUHj7shNKS5R0F6FiS7ZrupykzROy9baVo2DD-NwiSMa8eWheDmxkx23Mteu33FxGAAJN10owIOgX~-tzvjuu2QVfu2QpsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Transportation Committee unanimously concurred in Senate Bill 341 on Feb. 12, 2025, a bill that would add recreational vehicle dealers to Montana's definition of motor-vehicle dealers and clarify where off-premise displays and sales may occur. Senator Barry Usher sponsored the bill.

\"This will give RV dealers certain rights and protections from manufacturers that currently enjoy by other motorized dealers,\" Usher told the committee in his opening remarks. Proponents — including Brandon Bretz, owner of two RV dealerships in Missoula; Stewart Doggett of the Montana Manufactured Housing and RV Association; Mark Rispens of DRV Center; and Eric Hinkle, general counsel for Brett's RV and Marine — described the bill as aligning RV dealers with protections already enjoyed by automobile, boat and powersports dealers.

Brandon Bretz summarized the dealers' concerns: the bill would help ensure \"fair and timely compensation for warranty and recall work,\" provide greater transparency around dealer agreements and allocations of inventory, and protect dealers from manufacturer-imposed facility upgrades or forced vendor relationships. Eric Hinkle told the committee the bill \"proposes to simply include recreational vehicles within the definition of motor vehicle under Title 61 chapter 4 part 2 of the Montana code,\" and that the bill would also clarify off-premise sales rules.

Committee members asked technical questions. Representative Clacken asked whether \"off-premise\" meant shows at stadiums or out-of-county events; witnesses explained off-premise generally covers displays outside the dealer's lot and can include events within a dealer's manufacturer territory. Representative Knutson questioned whether placing recreational vehicles into the motor-vehicle definition would create registration or classification issues because many RVs are towable; witnesses said they had vetted the change with the Department of Justice Motor Vehicle Division and were told the division had no reservations. Representative Byrne asked whether the bill applies to new or used dealerships; witnesses said it applies to new dealerships.

Vice Chair Wirth moved concurrence; the committee approved the motion by voice vote, with Vice Chair Baum announcing proxy ayes for Representatives Cafaro, Fitzpatrick, Staffman and Sullivan. The committee recorded the motion as passed unanimously. Representative Darling volunteered to carry the bill on the House floor.","The House Transportation Committee unanimously concurred in Senate Bill 341, extending Montana dealer protections and off-premise-sales clarity to recreational vehicle dealers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

House transportation committee concurs to eliminate Scenic Historic Byways Advisory Council

Committee passes bill to end Lewis and Clark bicentennial specialty plate program, shift process to DOJ

Committee concurs to add RV dealers to motor-vehicle dealer protections, clarify off-premise sales