Montana Senate advances suite of bills on second reading; impact-fee change draws sharp debate

HELENA — The Montana Senate on Feb. 6, 2025, on second reading recommended passage of a package of bills covering education tax credits, local zoning procedures, statutes of limitation for construction claims, employee holidays for legislative staff, and rules for tracking minors in possession of intoxicating substances. Lawmakers also approved a resolution urging federal action on fiscal and monetary policy after an extended floor debate.

Senators approved Senate Bill 159, sponsored by Senator Greg Emmerich, a bill that would revise state finance laws tied to the coal severance tax trust fund and alter limits on existing educational tax credit programs. Senator Emmerich told the chamber the measure is “designed to take … $100 million … back into that fund” to grow the corpus’ earnings and use half of the proceeds to raise aggregate limits for education tax credits; the committee voted 39 aye, 11 nay and the bill passed second reading.

The chamber also passed a measure to shorten the statutory notice period for text amendments to county zoning regulations. Senate Bill 175, moved by Senator John Mandeville, would allow counties to use a shorter notice and hearing process for limited text changes to zoning (reducing the current 45‑day twice‑published notice cycle to a 15‑day notice for those text changes). The vote on second reading was 48 aye, 1 nay.

Senate Bill 143, sponsored by Senator Greg Hertz and described as a housing task force product, would shorten certain statutes of limitation for construction-related claims…