Broadwater County DUI task force presents 2026 plan, budget and new child‑passenger law changes

Tracy Kiesel presented the Broadwater County DUI Task Force annual plan, budget and meeting calendar to the Broadwater County Commission, saying the task force’s revenue is “strictly from DUI reinstatement fees” and noting a larger‑than‑expected payment from a state fee pool created by House Bill 132.

Kiesel, identified herself as Tracy Kiesel and spelled her last name for the record. She told commissioners the task force budget for the current fiscal year was projected at $15,200 and that the group receives $100 of a $200 driver‑license reinstatement fee paid by people whose licenses were suspended for DUI. She said the task force expects to have spent about $6,600 of the projected $15,000 by June 30 and therefore will carry over more funds into fiscal 2026. Kiesel also said the task force anticipates spending about $17,400 in fiscal 2026 while still leaving a rollover balance.

The task force reported an unexpected increase in one line of revenue. Kiesel said the county received “just over 4,000” dollars from a statewide pool created by House Bill 132, compared with an earlier projection of roughly $250. She described HB 132 as directing reinstatement fees from counties without established DUI task forces into a pool that is redistributed to counties that do have approved task forces.

Kiesel reviewed the task force’s priority areas: supporting enforcement (overtime shifts and equipment), training (including advanced roadside impaired driving enforcement and drug recognition experts), public education and child passenger safety. She said the task force helped fund in‑car cameras for the sheriff’s office in a prior year and that funds can be used for “special projects” such as community sign programs.

Kiesel summarized statewide and county crash data included in the plan. She said Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) data for Broadwater County from 2014–2023 show six alcohol‑impaired fatalities in the county during that period (three male, three female) and that roughly two‑thirds of those fatal crashes occurred on weekend nights. She also reported MDT data indicating a portion of drivers in fatal crashes had prior DUIs in the five years before the crash.

Kiesel noted prevention work and a recent state law change on child passenger safety. “Governor Gianforte signed a new bill last week enhancing our car seat law in Montana,” she said, and described the staged requirements that will take effect Oct. 1: rear‑facing through age 2, forward‑facing in a harness for ages 2–4, and booster seats for children 4 and above until age 9 (Kiesel said many parents keep children in earlier stages longer per best practices).

Kiesel described outreach programs the task force supports, including the group’s annual alcohol‑free Super Bowl party for middle and high school students (36 middle‑school and 30 high‑school students attended this year, she said). She also said the task force runs training and community awareness events and coordinates with local certified child passenger safety technicians, naming Johnny Spurlock at the sheriff’s office and a Bozeman Fire Department technician who lives in Townsend.

The commission did not take formal action on the plan at the meeting; Kiesel brought two signature pages that she said the commission could sign if members were “inclined to approve it today.” Commissioners asked clarifying questions about revenues and participation in a youth prevention survey; Kiesel said Broadwater County’s participation in the statewide student Prevention Needs Assessment appeared to be missing from the posted results and that she would follow up.

Kiesel closed by asking the commission to refer any community projects that fit the task force’s mission. The commission did not vote on the plan during the meeting.