[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6622385,"mediaKeyId","2784539-efa86d55bcf95b0e704171cf493345e4","parentId",2784539,"title","Committee concurs on three brief transportation bills: fuel-tax point of taxation, right‑of‑way filing cleanup and transit roles clarified","audioSeconds",322,"startMs",508000,"endMs",830000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2784539-efa86d55bcf95b0e704171cf493345e4&start=508&end=830","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2784539-efa86d55bcf95b0e704171cf493345e4/thumbnail_508000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6622385/Montana/Committee-concurs-on-three-brief-transportation-bills-fuel-tax-point-of-taxation-rightofway-filing-cleanup-and-transit-roles-clarified","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622385-0351c974ded3edd52b9591143b31d311/orig.mp4?Expires=1776480989&Signature=GFOB2zfDARyutxzYZqDO10-3j6RVRQk92UjRbtShCIkw9UgcE1YcMGfWXO9QXQDseqVtWHPDA0dyGvve7ixHalB0yUvHz05H7UHM7uGJp7Qtb-tStWfQlpUtsBURFezC9523t8rUjTOfPGBIV~tH22hAl5AwHZ6G0bzSRzb~f~RKiQy8RtGw7q~P9T4IAXtujL3W3UhLrJToxGFBnoQrBcAlhi1Bz0sBMZqmT4NzBr7Hn7xIxzYQkbeKdX8M30cr-IfabzJ3msiaOeQ8jwWsPGZpxHp6rdVMvI~-bkXWkLzFaTMSbbVHn0Y~lCZ6qRJfTfjztZzsnUVBUwVhOH7mQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montana Legislature","date","2025-03-26T00:00:00Z","article","The Montana Senate Transportation Committee concurred in three House bills after brief hearings and largely uncontested testimony.

House Bill 351: point of taxation for fuel
Representative Courtney Sprunger (House District 7) said HB351 shifts the point of taxation for fuel to the first licensed distributor who owns the fuel after withdrawal from a terminal or after import into Montana, rather than the last distributor to possess the fuel. The change does not increase the fuel tax rate, she said, but is intended to reduce redundant transaction tracking by the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT). \"In terms of volume, we process about 85,000 lines of these transactions a month,\" Larry Flynn, deputy director of MDT, told the committee, and the change would ‘‘virtually eliminate’’ that tracking for many transfers.

The committee voice-voted to concur in HB351; several members recorded aye by proxy, including Senator Olsen and Senator Fern and another proxy noted for Kazmaier. The motion carried.

House Bill 387: right-of-way filing cleanup
Representative Denise Baum (House District 45) said HB387 would remove the requirement that MDT file a short description along with a detailed right-of-way plan for reconstructed or new highways. Baum and MDT officials said the detailed plan set — including maps that identify affected parcels and impacts — would remain on file and that public-notice requirements, including the one-year prior notice of an upcoming project, would not change.

Deputy Director Flynn told the committee the short description adds staff time and confusion for county clerks when plans change; he urged concurrence. The committee voice-voted to concur in HB387; proxies were recorded for Kazmaier, Senator Olson and Senator Fern. The motion carried.

House Bill 345: clarify department and commission roles in transit
Representative Jerry Schillinger presented HB345 as a narrowly focused cleanup clarifying the law to reflect current practice and to avoid expecting the Transportation Commission to approve federal pass-through transit allocations to local governments. Flynn described the Transportation Commission as a five‑member board appointed by the governor responsible for approving projects administered by MDT; he said allocations that pass through MDT to local governments are typically not commission approvals.

The committee voice-voted to concur in HB345; proxies were recorded and the motion carried. Senator Esp agreed to carry the bill.

Votes at a glance
- HB351 (point of taxation for fuel): motion to concur carried by voice vote; proxies recorded (Olsen, Fern, Kazmaier).
- HB387 (right-of-way filing): motion to concur carried by voice vote; proxies recorded (Kazmaier, Olson, Fern).
- HB345 (department and commission roles in transit): motion to concur carried by voice vote; proxies recorded (Kazmaier, Olson, Fern).

Each bill’s testimony included MDT officials urging efficiency and clarity; none of the three measures drew sustained opposition in committee.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Highway and Transportation - Mar 26, 2025 15:00 - 18:00","oneSentenceSummary","The Montana Senate Transportation Committee concurred in three House bills after brief hearings and largely uncontested testimony.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MT, Montana","taxId",77694,"location","Montana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6622390,"Senate committee declines to concur on bill limiting liability for agricultural vehicles",0,1509000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2784539-efa86d55bcf95b0e704171cf493345e4&start=1509&end=1509","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2784539-efa86d55bcf95b0e704171cf493345e4/thumbnail_1509000.jpg","/articles/6622390/Montana/Senate-committee-declines-to-concur-on-bill-limiting-liability-for-agricultural-vehicles","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622390-f4b1649e40a00ce19f559b4723f379d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1776480989&Signature=Laeh2OplZ-FgAVwEQAGtI1qiv3IrPiSIi-2wPH7QBQiDlpqljsABytNuuiveesRg83l19JtY3GS8Apl-8-M9nH~bsyLEl9L9OCd9XaM3cNqJSTCtY~4eOnXvSTJCrUvt2Qk7Tv9qyi67PQBwNtinwP212bj2g-kQPQZiitVHsdrkoWdBP6giViDnQyDA6~yODVyp9CzZGNpPiSfqoCxqCFziyv7pt7ptK3BwYXQzsSU03feuCh9mHif9pUTQ-kIoNGQiT6ZbLuToILTPiOZBdIy-DBJ4v7mWCDP4jXiuJSxUokLktzaVuJ-A4cF3TY-jYDHZGPrfy84StQMBZLyGOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Montana Senate committee voted that House Bill 212, which would limit liability for agricultural vehicles on public roads, should not be concurred in after two amendments and a roll-call vote.

The bill and its amendments were debated across multiple committee members and outside commenters, with supporters saying the changes would protect farmers from large economic losses when equipment is struck and opponents — including a trial attorney — warning that caps on non-economic damages may be unconstitutional in light of recent court decisions.

Supporters and opponents
Proponents told the committee the bill would give “a little bit of a protection” to farm and ranch operators when expensive implements such as combines are struck, and that caps could prevent what they described as opportunistic claims. An opponent described a recent Cascade County District Court ruling that found caps on non-economic damages unconstitutional in a medical-malpractice context and said the ruling raised concerns about constitutionality in this bill’s approach.

Senators’ discussion
Senator Hunter said the opponent was referring to a medical-malpractice case and argued the bill’s intent was to protect farmers from economic losses when large equipment is damaged. \"What he was referring all this stuff to was a medical malpractice case and was not a particular non economic non economic road,\" Hunter said in committee discussion.

Other senators expressed reservations. One committee member recounted a long-ago crash with multiple deaths and serious injury and said the measure strays into judiciary territory; that senator said he would vote against the bill at this stage.

Amendments and procedural steps
Committee members moved two sponsor-requested amendments during the hearing; members described both amendments as intended to improve or coordinate the bill with another measure. After the amendments were adopted, a motion to concur in House Bill 212 \"as twice amended\" was placed on a roll-call vote.

Vote and outcome
The roll-call recorded votes from committee members and proxies. Recorded votes were: Vice Chair Logie — no; Vice Chair Noelle — no; Senator Esp — no; Senator Fern — no (by proxy); Senator Hunter — yes; Senator McBeier — yes (by proxy); Senator Olson — no (by proxy); Chair Temple — yes. The recorded tally was 3 ayes and 5 nays, so the committee did not concur in the bill as amended.

What happens next
Because the committee did not concur in the motion to advance the bill, House Bill 212 will not move forward from this committee in its current form. The committee discussion repeatedly framed the measure as carrying potential constitutional risk and noted its overlap with judiciary considerations.

Votes at the committee hearing were recorded on the transcript; members and proxies accounted for the roll-call shown above.","A Montana Senate committee voted down a motion to concur in House Bill 212, which would have limited liability for agricultural vehicles on public roads after amendments. Committee members and witnesses debated whether caps on non-economic damages could conflict with recent court rulings.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee concurs on three brief transportation bills: fuel-tax point of taxation, right‑of‑way filing cleanup and transit roles clarified

Senate committee declines to concur on bill limiting liability for agricultural vehicles