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House committee advances state IT capital bill after questions about $6 million federal funds
Summary
House Bill 10, the state information-technology capital bill, was recommended by committee; members questioned the source and justification of about $6 million listed as federal funds for IT projects and discussed cyber-security and legacy-system modernization priorities.
Representative Jay Fitzpatrick, sponsor of House Bill 10, described the proposal as Montana's primary vehicle for information-technology capital projects in the 2025-27 biennium, focusing on modernization of legacy systems, cybersecurity enhancements and citizen-facing portals.
Fitzpatrick said the bill "implements advanced protections like AI driven threat detection and identity proofing to safeguard sensitive data," and that the proposal seeks to reduce reliance on costly contractors by replacing outdated infrastructure.
Representative Millett asked, "Where exactly are those federal funds coming from? Is that from the Department of Health and Human Services?" Fitzpatrick replied that he did not know the specific agency line item but said the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) typically provides federal match for IT projects that support federally funded programs.
Representative Millett said he would not support the bill while the $6 million federal funding line remained in place absent clearer justification; he described the inclusion of the federal amount as troubling. Representative Gillette responded by explaining that DPHHS receives a large share of federal funds and that much of the $6 million (noted in committee materials as part of a roughly $7.8 million item) is related to the child-welfare information system.
The committee recorded a recommendation that HB10 "do pass." The clerk recorded 87 ayes and 13 no votes on second reading committee action. Named absentee votes recorded during roll calls included Representatives Cunningham, Souctis, Tuss and Oblander.
Clarifying details: the sponsor emphasized modernization, cyber-security, and expanded digital portals such as myMontana.gov; members pressed for clearer accounting of federal contributions to specific agency projects.
The committee recommended HB10 for further House consideration.
