Montana Senate advances property-tax measures, defeats bill to restore injured workers' choice of treating physician

HELENA — The Montana Senate on Wednesday advanced several measures addressing property taxes and local levies, approved a measure to change how some judicial candidates run, and indefinitely postponed legislation that would have restored injured workers’ ability to choose their treating physician.

The chamber passed Senate Bill 90 as amended to create a property-tax credit for primary residences funded from lodging and rental-car tax receipts, advanced Senate Bill 32 — a wide-ranging property tax revision — on second reading, and concurred in House Bill 20 to require voted levies be stated in dollars rather than mills. The Senate also voted 37-13 on second reading to advance SB 32 and later moved the bill to the Senate Finance and Claims Committee for additional work. In a separate contested debate, the Senate defeated a motion to pass Senate Bill 295, which sought to restore worker choice of treating physician for workers’ compensation claims, and then voted 37-13 to indefinitely postpone the bill.

Why it matters: The measures the Senate moved forward this week would change how property tax levies are calculated and could produce direct credits on homeowner bills, while the workers’ compensation vote preserves the current system that allows insurers to designate treating providers in some cases. The judiciary measure would allow judicial candidates to run with party labels and accept party contributions — a shift proponents say increases voter information and opponents say risks politicizing the bench.

What the Senate did

- Senate Bill 90 (property-tax credit): Sponsor Senator Glenn said the bill uses lodging and rental-car tax revenue to create a credit delivered on property tax bills. An amendment (sponsored by President Regier) that…