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Committee hears unanimous support to extend metal mines tax county distribution; bill concurred
Summary
House Bill 308 would extend the sunset on the county distribution of the metal mines license tax, keeping the county share at 35%. Proponents — county commissioners and mining industry representatives — said the extension provides local planning stability; the committee moved to concur.
Representative Sherry Espin (sponsor of House Bill 308) told the committee the bill extends an existing distribution of the hard-rock metal mines license tax, preserving a 35 percent county distribution and moving the sunset from 2027 to a later date (testimony recorded the date as "02/1935" and described the extension as roughly eight years); she said the change helps counties prepare for shutdowns or production reductions.
Multiple county commissioners (Jefferson County, Butte-Silver Bow, Lewis and Clark County, Stillwater County and Sweetgrass County) and industry representatives (Montana Mining Association, Sibanye Stillwater) testified in favor. Commissioners and local officials described using the funds for local economic development corporations, planning departments, school districts and a hard-rock mining trust reserve to cushion downturns when mines reduce operations or close.
Proponents said the distribution is critical in counties that host mines and that allowing the distribution to revert to a lower county share would shift roughly $1.5 million in the example described from counties to the general fund. The committee heard from county leaders about recent job reductions at Sibanye Stillwater and the immediate fiscal stress in Stillwater County and neighboring communities.
Representative Espin closed by urging a green vote. During executive action the committee moved to concur with House Bill 308.
