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City staff briefs council on key bills: rental application refunds, impact-fee changes and other measures
Summary
Jessica Miller of Central Services briefed Missoula City Council on several state bills on April 14, 2025, including House Bill 311 (rental application fee refunds), Senate Bill 133 (impact-fee revisions), and other legislation affecting local authority and taxation; Miller described current status and potential implications for the city.
Jessica Miller of Central Services provided an update to the Missoula City Council on the 2025 Montana legislative session and several bills the city is tracking.
Miller reported that House Bill 311, which would require refunding unused portions of rental application fees to applicants, had passed second reading and appeared likely to head to the governor. "House bill 311 ... requires the refund of rental application fees for any unused portion of those fees has to be returned to the applicant," Miller said, and she told the council the bill had passed second reading in the second house.
She described Senate Bill 133 as a revision to impact-fee law that would restrict permitted uses of impact fees; Miller said the bill removes certain uses, noting the city currently charges impact fees for parks and general administration and that the bill would eliminate those uses. "SB133 ... revising impact fees laws, that restricts the use of the restricts the rate of our, impact fees and the uses," she said.
Other items Miller highlighted: - House Bill 20: signed by the governor and requires voted levies to be stated in dollars. - Senate Bill 90: was taken from the table and placed on second reading; Miller said it redistributes certain state tax revenue for primary-resident property tax relief. - Senate Bill 2: revises treatment of tax increment upon expiration of TIF provisions and had passed second reading. - Senate Bill 539: includes restrictions on property taxes and special assessments, with a hearing scheduled the following day; city lobbyists planned to speak at that hearing. - House Bill 594: would have limited local government licensing and permitting authority; Miller reported it failed on second reading and was indefinitely postponed. - Senate Bill 537: would revise marijuana tax law and direct some revenue toward homelessness case management; Miller said the city supported that measure. - House Bill 809: would prohibit local governments from enacting red-flag gun laws; Miller noted the bill had passed and observed it constrains local options to enact that type of measure.
Councilors briefly commented on the update later in the meeting. Councilor Nugent praised HB311 and called for further renter-related reforms in future sessions; he commented that the bill was a good start for renters.
Why this matters: Several bills tracked by city staff could alter local revenue, fees and the scope of municipal authority — including rules about impact-fee uses, voter levies, rental-application fee refunds and limits on local licensing or red-flag measures. The council received the briefing to stay informed about bills that may affect Missoula's budgeting and regulatory powers.
What's next: City staff will continue to monitor the legislative session and maintain the city's online bill-tracking list; bills may move to the governor's desk or face further amendments before final action.
