Missoula legislators outline session wins: property tax relief, housing trust, childcare supports and healthcare changes

Missoula — Montana legislators who served in the recent legislative session told a large University of Montana town-hall audience that their main accomplishments included a compromise on property taxes, a new housing trust, measures aimed at helping childcare workers and providers, and health-insurance changes meant to reduce prior-authorization barriers.

Representative Mark Thane, who described negotiating a compromise in the final days of the session, said the package blends elements of competing bills and includes a progressive schedule and a homestead exemption. “On a median price home in Missoula, if everything were static, you would see about a $1,200 decrease in your property taxes,” Thane said.

The session also produced a permanent housing trust that supporters said creates ongoing funding for programs including veterans assistance and low- and middle-income homeowner loans. Senator Shane Morjot and others credited the trust with providing long-term financing for housing, childcare and other priorities.

Lawmakers described several health measures that passed. Representative Jonathan Carlin summarized a set of bills on prior authorization for prescriptions and other health services, saying the measures require denials to come from a same-specialty…