[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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",6095459,"mediaKeyId","2837410-a2494a42ed09316493aad27a5ae6f0ef","parentId",2837410,"title","Bill would create a Big Sky Rail account to support passenger-rail development; supporters cite economic and connectivity benefits","audioSeconds",604,"startMs",7006000,"endMs",7610000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2837410-a2494a42ed09316493aad27a5ae6f0ef&start=7006&end=7610","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2837410-a2494a42ed09316493aad27a5ae6f0ef/thumbnail_7006000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6095459/Montana/Bill-would-create-a-Big-Sky-Rail-account-to-support-passenger-rail-development-supporters-cite-economic-and-connectivity-benefits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095459-9f1173eeb4d03602a9606d12b09a6ef8/orig.mp4?Expires=1774947400&Signature=EYcQ6S-iHaLSltby-M7sWoVg0qhsKVdurqp4jNd1jMOnZxW1H83Yl9CZqwoSwFLNcTzTNEkF8h38D1HVlejSAH8m91IhpfQQoIpnqjUo7n2qC7UxG9KyiCMvgVw5hCIqxznvNc2Uo9MiVp9IHH6p3BcNm~xhr-nKlD9qlHEb2tvO1Qb~l4Jt0JXI4fRLYjiyjxk0442g8ZJlFzA~u16eFFcaX9xWGsF-~Cu6FSPGU~x9uQDZ6EpPAAxgkmPdYRy81vPZS5r6s6d~KPVQSG6~ckm~4nek~~TQMemT1zIQ6Wm8qXHXLjPwbg3pBGAGpCvCe-UwO-aaeo35escajgdBSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montana Legislature","date","2025-04-01T00:00:00Z","article","HELENA — Representative Denise Baum presented House Bill 848 to create a state special revenue account, the Big Sky Rail account, and provide a statutory $2 million annual appropriation to the Department of Transportation for passenger-rail development, safety upgrades and project-match needs.

Baum said the account would support work on the Big Sky North Coast Corridor — the proposed southern long‑distance route — and improvements to the existing Empire Builder corridor. She said the proposal was initially tied to a vehicle-related tax but committee staff amended the draft to use the rail car tax; she told the committee she is open to alternative funding sources such as general fund if the committee prefers.

Big Sky Passenger Rail leaders testified in support. Dave Strohmeyer, chair of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority, outlined the authority’s track record: formation by county governments, grant acquisition and project development. Dan Bucks, who testified virtually, said passenger rail can be energy-efficient, increase rural economic activity, attract tourism spending and support freight reliability. Bucks told the committee that passenger rail “yields the greatest benefits for smaller rural communities.”

Department of Transportation rail staff attended as informational witnesses and said they were available for questions. Testimony cited existing federal activity: the Big Sky North Coast Corridor is in the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification (Corridor ID) program and the authority has secured federal grants to improve infrastructure on BNSF’s Milk River Subdivision. Committee discussion focused on the use of state funds as nonfederal match to unlock phase‑2 Corridor ID dollars and on whether a statutory appropriation should have a sunset.

Scope and use: witnesses said funds can underwrite nonfederal match for federal planning (step‑2 Corridor ID service-development plans), safety and infrastructure improvements, workforce development and grant administration support for rural communities lacking capacity to pursue and manage federal grants.

Questions from committee members included whether passenger-rail expansion would harm the Empire Builder or compete for tracks; witnesses said the routes would be complementary, that many improvements benefit both freight and passenger service, and that on‑time performance improvements are in the mutual interest of freight and passenger operators. Committee members also asked about governance and ownership: witnesses and DOT staff said track ownership remains with freight railroads (BNSF), Amtrak likely would operate service but operator commitments and infrastructure conditions would be specified during the Corridor ID development phase.

Ending: Sponsor Baum said she would accept amendments such as a six‑year sunset on the statutory appropriation. Supporters emphasized job and tourism benefits, improved safety and rural connectivity. No committee vote was taken at the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Appropriations - Tuesday, Apr 1, 2025 07:25 - 11:59","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Denise Baum asked the committee to create a Big Sky Rail account with a $2 million annual statutory appropriation to support passenger-rail corridor development and nonfederal matching needs for federal planning grants.","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},6095463,"Lawmakers consider renewing and expanding 'Grow Your Own' teacher pipeline with $500,000 appropriation",758,5906000,6664000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2837410-a2494a42ed09316493aad27a5ae6f0ef&start=5906&end=6664","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2837410-a2494a42ed09316493aad27a5ae6f0ef/thumbnail_5906000.jpg","/articles/6095463/Montana/Lawmakers-consider-renewing-and-expanding-Grow-Your-Own-teacher-pipeline-with-500000-appropriation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095463-bef4210238c9d917e32770507f552992/orig.mp4?Expires=1774947400&Signature=n63wNqlMBy~W3I-HwAZnn6J5qpd-UnM~SHTXFW9jzeYWdhRANfCykA3RR9aY3vgQ25T7V7KHBfNuzqjtnMCXBjEAKkmEIIgLGUebHFgYAixM7uch6ILI-LzcMf8Mq06p4uOIb2-hTVmptL~EjkZDjmqT4c8xh-bd3jvzyO6M9zsHna7YBIbzWjDIt1pvL0KsFcOPtg0eliKt5qECgv0TAxed1iqWOPtDs8UKF9xgjyX9s~RSoJrCh8Qgfu~HCdtKTEiOVZ~W6xrqHiW3pmF2A6YNk~xjrMgW9l4l-fvBXLwtWbgdpN9I1FQfuPNznJpv0DEitHnFphJ-iqHJoOj98w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HELENA — Representative Crego Crowe presented House Bill 499 to renew and expand the Grow Your Own Grant program, which funds dual-credit and apprenticeship pathways to recruit students from rural and reservation communities into teaching careers.

Crowe told the committee the program was created and funded in 2021 with $500,000, was not funded in the 2023 session, and that the bill seeks to restart and expand the program. “The Grow Your Own grant program allows for high school students to take dual credit college courses while they are still in high school and also provides for apprenticeship pathways in the field of teaching,” she said.

Angela McLean of the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education said the initial, first-round rollout was “wildly successful” in her words: the three pilot programs placed more than 100 students into dual-enrollment Grow Your Own pathways and one program in Great Falls expects a first cohort of about 13 completers in 2026. McLean said roughly three-quarters of students who started indicated they intended to continue toward a teaching credential.

The bill would provide last-dollar grants of up to $5,000 per year per participant (not to exceed $10,000 per student total) and requires the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education to administer the program and report on outcomes. Sponsor and witnesses said the grant replaces an earlier grant-to-loan-conversion feature from the 2021 law (the conversion language was removed) to reduce administrative overhead and to align Grow Your Own with other state grant programs.

Why it matters: committee members and witnesses emphasized the statewide shortage in critical subject areas, including English, math, science and social studies, plus shortages in special education, world languages, art and music. McLean said the initial pilots produced local pipelines; several students in the Great Falls model are already employed by districts as paraprofessionals and are paying into the teacher retirement system while they complete coursework.

Implementation and reporting: the bill would require OCHE to administer grants, issue a request for proposals to institutions and districts, and report program completion and employment outcomes. Sponsor asked for $500,000 in the biennium and that the appropriation be considered part of the base for the next session.

Ending: OCHE offered to provide a brief plan for how the first $500,000 per biennium would be spent and to return with details if the committee requested them. The committee did not vote during the hearing.","House Bill 499 would extend and fund the Grow Your Own Grant program to recruit and support students from rural and reservation communities into teacher preparation pathways. University and K–12 witnesses said early cohorts showed strong participation and local employment outcomes; sponsor seeks $500,000 in ongoing base funding.",{"_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},6095468,"Rep. Nicastro seeks to direct ARPA interest to regional water fund; hearing draws few comments",326,5637000,5963000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2837410-a2494a42ed09316493aad27a5ae6f0ef&start=5637&end=5963","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2837410-a2494a42ed09316493aad27a5ae6f0ef/thumbnail_5637000.jpg","/articles/6095468/Montana/Rep-Nicastro-seeks-to-direct-ARPA-interest-to-regional-water-fund-hearing-draws-few-comments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095468-3f997bfb7d4d60b57a6e8ee8ae40f385/orig.mp4?Expires=1774947400&Signature=AKnlLGzFS2cp0DGQrcFhnr7PHyJj1ZZY2HZYedIIgUPOel0OehoMcPUwOw5Gpb5nkGMI5o1v1oV3Pl8KiQArlSe3zcyMmgXXEioUC5HAE-jkt~Uh-U1f9RLINvi0legfJNdrFQTiP1qnys8dzysfNhX6UucOX7X971ySm0Rk4ZBDT5hYoE~bCtX5s48k5ZnDCPD0N1xYhPt-ECWCzzKudEWEd3C8~DUL6gaRF5Rm13C3gNob5avnNoy39xyJl~8q0mYK27Fr8C387LHDf96MnUfwpqhaYUCevvLAvb9BCqHCbftThcEjBfMaIM6QeQB5HE4lECzvDpk17kJSGjd~qg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HELENA — Representative Anthony Nicastro opened House Bill 941 asking the committee to repurpose ARPA interest funds into the Montana Coal Endowment Regional Water Systems Fund to support regional drinking-water systems and related projects.

Nicastro said the bill aims for a middle-ground solution and referred members to relevant code sections (the code citation 17-57-03 was mentioned in his presentation) that funnel the fund toward regional drinking-water projects and special revenue accounts. “I figure the spending of our ARPA interest towards one of our, probably our most important resource that we have, in this state — water,” Nicastro said.

The hearing record showed no proponents or opponents online, no informational witnesses online, and no additional proponents in the room. Representative Nicastro answered committee questions about the fund balance and project demand by offering to provide the committee with the current fund balance and lists of projects after the hearing.

Ending: The sponsor closed the hearing and indicated he would supply additional fiscal and demand information to help the committee assess whether ARPA interest might be best applied to regional water system needs. No committee vote occurred at the hearing.","Representative Anthony Nicastro introduced House Bill 941 to dedicate accumulated ARPA interest to the Montana Coal Endowment Regional Water Systems Fund, arguing water projects are a high statewide priority. The committee heard no public opposition and no informational witnesses participated online.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6095472,"Committee hears brief support for child tax credit bill that targets low- and middle-income families",2201,3491000,5692000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2837410-a2494a42ed09316493aad27a5ae6f0ef&start=3491&end=5692","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2837410-a2494a42ed09316493aad27a5ae6f0ef/thumbnail_3491000.jpg","/articles/6095472/Montana/Committee-hears-brief-support-for-child-tax-credit-bill-that-targets-low-and-middle-income-families","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095472-0020460e5f64325a34efdb0b2349a11a/orig.mp4?Expires=1774947400&Signature=BezZ4dlRfCFQjipV1gybL5HAggDbKXSkhC9NYHiphEW-d89OvahpZuNV5-emfubPFGvbEDbLoAwJbH73as~e3B~7MoKKsXb60ONveJyWo7sYsJzB4oKV-V-Gy8qg7XNTpSDzYxilWQ0sCIjRdhwl3Fv6Zpz07XYZOdwyFrSUrLv16JcfC6esrjg0aUASNFGm2PAh9-0HGR3Ahsk93fuEjQorL629KRElZPDNtpOuyMttAUgUp4VwzloOSHPMBsrv7y7N4uftp9DnXyRo4SwGl8LWG56OIR1iSzngzgXWX~eV5DueUkfXoYFsoRegO8UIyXIKpYAyymfd~zhFkj19cA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HELENA — Representative Mary Cafaro presented House Bill 220, which would create a Montana child tax credit aligned with the federal child tax credit and targeted to low- and moderate-income families with children.

Cafaro told the committee the proposal would apply to roughly 46,000 households and about 84,000 dependents, and that eligibility would mirror the federal child tax credit to simplify administration. “House Bill 2 20 provides a child tax credit and it would apply to families who are middle income, low income and have children under the 8,000,” Cafaro said, noting program scope and administrative alignment with federal rules.

Supporters included the Montana Budget and Policy Center and 0 to 5 Montana. Rose Bender of the Montana Budget and Policy Center said the group “believes this is a good investment in lower and moderate income Montana families.” Caitlin Jensen of 0 to 5 Montana described the proposed $1,200 credit as “a really great investment in our Montana families,” citing inflation-related pressures since 2020.

No opponents or informational witnesses participated online or in the room, and committee members asked no substantive follow-up questions during the brief hearing. The sponsor said she would focus on the fiscal note and asked the committee to advance the bill for further review.

Ending: The hearing was brief; sponsors asked the committee to consider fiscal impacts and to move the bill forward. No vote or committee action was recorded during the hearing.","Representative Mary Cafaro opened House Bill 220, which would create a state child tax credit tied to the federal child tax credit. Proponents told the committee the credit would help low- and moderate-income families; the hearing included brief proponent testimony and no opponents.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6095477,"Montana bill would seed a 'Go Trust' with volatile revenue to fund water, bridges, pensions and housing",1048,557000,1605000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2837410-a2494a42ed09316493aad27a5ae6f0ef&start=557&end=1605","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2837410-a2494a42ed09316493aad27a5ae6f0ef/thumbnail_557000.jpg","/articles/6095477/Montana/Montana-bill-would-seed-a-Go-Trust-with-volatile-revenue-to-fund-water-bridges-pensions-and-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095477-0f4785965e723c2e301fcea809065c4c/orig.mp4?Expires=1774947400&Signature=dGRPwUs6qZKSWvDIsJk8sPPFwnpG~BVuLqIqk9wKzyKzhWRuXB1XrDLo21Y-Qm2edAfGstfhQJGLutjS15SoC70V3dSROB7qEtdzB1BG45NpSVCsljUc1X5eRWSSNc83MggoOf7qixc99z0nJkDyZwY4xzkyS6jNVwCs9i19OFGLROrb23vpdZnM7TOiCR9qr3miiSAcngEU5F15pQNp3a-bmafaeOoR0s3lcK2cuHhnjeZ1fuehbbZfzTTTXXT0FHGDlhunI7A5b7IgzEAejOcx~RU2gldsJydiDc6cW3HmJiEOotLYA7wlF-GIYnip8dAkwDRViX~pbLBx3Ipnng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HELENA — Representative Lou Jones introduced House Bill 924 on behalf of the House Appropriations Committee, proposing the Montana Growth and Opportunity Trust, or “Go Trust,” to capture large swings in state revenue and direct interest earnings to several standing priorities.

Jones said the bill “begins with approximately 600,000,000” and showed committee members a handout projecting growth to about $1.8 billion by 2029 if forecasted returns hold. “It’s called the Montana Growth and Opportunity Trust, the Go Trust,” Jones said in opening remarks.

The bill would deposit an initial block of one-time transfers and then, starting in later years, move a defined portion of what the bill calls “volatile” or “risky” revenue into the trust. The sponsor and the legislative fiscal analyst described the proposal as splitting future interest earnings: half is reinvested and half distributed as annual interest to a set of state special funds for uses the bill lists, such as water projects, bridge repair, housing, pension stabilization, tax relief and early-childhood supports.

Why it matters: supporters said the structure is intended to avoid spending large, irregular gains on ongoing programs and to create a predictable stream of interest for targeted priorities. William Hollahan, executive director of the Montana Public Employees Retirement Administration, supported the pension component: under the bill the trust would receive a $300 million seed transfer and make up to $75 million per year available to offset market losses if certified by the retirement board. Hollahan said the contribution pattern and the pension account in the trust would reduce PERS amortization by roughly five years according to actuary projections.

Supporters at the hearing included staff from the Teachers Retirement System, the Montana Association of Counties, conservation groups and water stakeholders. Jim Malizia, chief counsel for TRS, said the bill’s contribution increase would bring the system’s amortization period down “from 21 to 19 years.” Jason Bridal of the Montana Association of Counties and representatives of Trout Unlimited and the Montana Stockgrowers Association testified in favor of water, bridges and disaster resiliency investments.

Concerns and requested changes: Heather O’Loughlin of the Montana Budget and Policy Center described the bill’s intent as “thoughtful” but raised two technical concerns the committee should consider: (1) the bill calculates volatile revenue using HD2 estimates rather than the prior year’s actual revenue and (2) the bill subtracts the 10-year minimum year rather than using a rolling average or compound growth approach used for other funds. She recommended using actual prior-year revenue as the starting point and a rolling average for the floor adjustment to avoid overstating transfers into the trust.

Legislative fiscal analyst Amy Carlson walked the committee through the bill’s flow charts and numbers, explaining that initial “jump start” transfers in FY 2025 and FY 2026 total roughly $679 million and $406 million respectively in the fiscal note the analyst relied on. Carlson said the trust’s interest pool is calculated as total interest on the whole fund and that the bill sets appropriation caps for distributable interest (caps the committee would set at $15 million per distribution pipe in the current draft).

Triggers and reductions: the bill includes two mechanisms to reduce transfers during downturns. Section language allows the budget director to reduce transfers by up to 40% if the general fund ending balance falls toward the operational reserve; a larger statutory trigger already in statute (17-71-40 as cited in testimony) could authorize broader reductions or expenditure cuts by the executive in deeper stress scenarios. Sponsor Jones said he chose the 40% figure to slow transfers in a downturn while avoiding giving the budget office a simple method to halt flows entirely.

Program design and caps: the bill places caps on reinvestment and distribution flows (sponsor said each distribution pipe would have an appropriation cap of $15 million), includes an initial $300 million pension seed, a $50 million initial housing seed, and a $50 million one-time bridge allocation. Sponsor and analyst said the bill is written to revisit caps and sizes in future legislatures and that technical cleanups were expected to follow the hearing.

Next steps: sponsors said technical amendments are coming and that updated fiscal material was expected; Jones asked for the committee to consider the bill after technical fixes that will clarify caps and access rules. No formal committee action or vote was recorded at the hearing.

Ending note: proponents framed HB 924 as a long-term wealth-preservation and targeted-investment tool shaped to limit spending of irregular revenue. Opponents and analysts urged revisions to the volatile-revenue calculation and expressed concern that large transfers during a period of uncertain forecasts could strain the near-term general fund balance.","Representative Lou Jones introduced House Bill 924 to create the Montana Growth and Opportunity Trust, a new permanent-fund–style account seeded with one-time transfers and a share of what the bill defines as \"volatile\" revenue to generate interest for targeted projects including water, bridges, housing and a pension stabilization account.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would create a Big Sky Rail account to support passenger-rail development; supporters cite economic and connectivity benefits

Lawmakers consider renewing and expanding 'Grow Your Own' teacher pipeline with $500,000 appropriation

Rep. Nicastro seeks to direct ARPA interest to regional water fund; hearing draws few comments

Committee hears brief support for child tax credit bill that targets low- and middle-income families

Montana bill would seed a 'Go Trust' with volatile revenue to fund water, bridges, pensions and housing