Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Agency Structure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bill would remove statutory requirement for named divisions in Montana Department of Transportation
Summary
House Bill 487 would delete statutory language that mandates five named divisions in the Montana Department of Transportation, giving the agency flexibility to reorganize; DOT leaders said duties and funding rules would not change, and senators questioned implementation detail and staffing safeguards.
Representative Julie Darling introduced House Bill 487 to remove statutory language that requires the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) to include specific divisions — highways, aeronautics, administration, rail and transit, and motor carrier services — in state law. "Quite simply, this bill is eliminating the requirement that the department... have certain divisions," Representative Julie Darling said in opening remarks.
Chris Dorrington, director of the Department of Transportation, and Deputy Director Larry Flynn testified in support. Flynn noted the current statute only names divisions but does not define their duties, which are set elsewhere in titles of the Montana Code. "These 5 divisions are not defined in statute anywhere. They are only named," Flynn said, adding that duties and funding sources remain defined in other statutes and the bill would not change that.
Dorrington told senators the change is intended to make the agency easier for the public and stakeholders to navigate and to allow the department to organize internally as needs evolve. "I don't want that named in statute. So I want the names out and then we can name something very logically in our executive on the executive side just like every other agency has," Dorrington said.
Committee members asked how the department would reassign functions, whether staff could lose jobs or be demoted, and how the change would affect relationships with federal modal agencies and federal funding restrictions. Dorrington said the department has a plan and emphasized the change would not permit moving restricted funds across funding categories. "I can't take highways dollars and put it in airports," he said, explaining federal and state restrictions on categorical funding.
Several senators expressed support for treating MDT the same as other cabinet agencies while asking for assurances about staff impacts and a public communications plan. Dorrington said no jobs would be lost as a result of the reorganization and that details would be shared with committee staff as plans are finalized.
The committee took testimony and asked questions; no vote was taken at the hearing.
Ending: The hearing closed after committee questions and sponsor remarks; DOT said it will provide further information as reorganization plans firm up.
