Appropriations subcommittee advances four House bills, approves park, remediation and campus authorities

The Appropriations Subcommittee F of the Montana Legislature on a voice and roll-call series of votes advanced four House bills — HB 10, HB 11, HB 5 (as amended) and HB 12 — by unanimous recorded votes of 7-0.

The measures moved in executive action on the committee’s docket included a small technical amendment to HB 10 adding Flathead Valley Community College to a community-college appropriation; a pair of deletions in HB 11 after applicants withdrew or failed to appear; multiple amendments to HB 5 that add remediation and capital authorities; and a committee-amended HB 12 that narrows historic-preservation funding priorities.

The committee’s action matters because it determines which projects the Legislature will forward to the full Appropriations Committee and, eventually, to the full House and Senate for final consideration of funding or spending authority. The votes set funding priorities for community colleges, state park development, environmental remediation and capital projects at the Montana University System.

House Bill 10 A committee member moved a do-pass motion on House Bill 10 and also moved a single, limited amendment that adds Flathead Valley Community College to a project appropriation. The amendment passed and the bill passed committee by roll call, 7-0.

House Bill 11 The sponsor moved a do-pass on HB 11 and presented an amendment package that removed one project for a county water-sewer district and removed a Petroleum County project after the applicant withdrew or did not appear. The committee took a roll-call vote on the amendment and then…