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Lawmakers hear requests for $22.5 million in historic‑preservation grants as lodging‑tax share shifts
Summary
A legislative subcommittee heard testimony on House Bill 12, the Montana Historic Preservation Grant Program, including the program’s funding sources, a new distribution of lodging‑tax receipts, the department of commerce’s ranked project list and a proposed amendment to exempt minor rehabilitation work from environmental review.
Representative John Fitzpatrick opened the Subcommittee F hearing on House Bill 12, which would set legislative appropriations for the Montana Historic Preservation Grant Program and consider a ranked list of recommended projects.
The bill funds the program with receipts from Montana’s lodging or accommodations taxes. Fitzpatrick told the committee the program was created in 2019 as part of the Montana Heritage Center authorization and that the account will receive a somewhat larger lodging‑tax share beginning this year. “The program is administered by the Montana Department of Commerce and refunded by receipts received from the lodging tax,” he said, adding the lodging‑tax distribution that supported the program will increase from 5 percent to 6 percent in the coming year.
The Montana Department of Commerce and legislative fiscal staff presented details showing Commerce received 74 applications for the 2027 biennium, 63 of which were eligible and ranked above the program’s cutoff. The department’s ranked list totals about $22.5 million in requests; the governor’s executive budget recommends funding…
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