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Senate Local Government advances several bills on liens, elections, animals and property-tax relief
Summary
After an LFD presentation, the Senate Local Government committee advanced a package of bills including Senate Bills 103, 128, 96, 99, 90 and 11. Several measures passed after debate and amendments; roll-call tallies were recorded for multiple bills.
The Senate Local Government committee moved multiple bills out of committee following a legislative fiscal presentation.
Vice chair Beard moved DO PASS on Senate Bill 103, described by staff as "an act increasing the fee for issuing an execution or order of sale on a foreclosure of a lien, providing that the increased fee be deposited in the county district court funds." The motion carried by voice vote with at least one recorded no vote (Senator Trevis), and the committee chair announced the bill had passed out of the committee.
On Senate Bill 128, Miss Kurzowski summarized the measure as "an act prohibiting county governing bodies from removing election administration duties from the county clerk and recorder during the county clerk and recorder's term in office." The committee took a roll-call vote and recorded 9 yes and 2 no; the bill advanced out of committee.
Senate Bill 96, described in committee as "establishing protections for working animals, providing that local governments may not enact an urban ordinance or resolution to ban the use of working animals or animal enterprise and commerce or service," prompted debate on local control. Senator Pope said he would vote no because he favored retaining local authority, while Senator Boldman said he supported the bill for the communities that use working animals. The roll call recorded 8 yes and 3 no; the bill passed the committee.
Senate Bill 99 drew lengthy discussion. The committee first adopted an amendment that removed subsection 3(c); staff said the amendment made an objective clarification and senators questioned the fiscal exposure. The amendment passed unanimously (11–0). During broader debate senators raised concerns about shifting enforcement responsibilities from the IRS to state authorities and whether the bill would affect nonprofits and religious institutions; proponents said the bill would protect local tax bases from entities that may be functioning like businesses without paying local taxes. After further debate the bill passed the committee on final vote, 7 yes and 4 no.
Senate Bill 90 was amended on the floor of the committee to leave Department of Commerce advertising and related programs intact and instead use general-fund lodging tax revenue to provide property-tax assistance; the amendment also excludes households with dwellings worth over $1,500,000 from the rebate. Senators asked for fiscal estimates; supporters said additional review will occur in finance and claims. The committee recorded a final roll-call of 7 yes and 4 no and reported the bill passed as amended.
Senate Bill 11 passed after a technical amendment that corrected a typographical error; staff noted some potential cleanup language from Missoula County and the secretary of state's office that could follow later in the process. The amendment and the bill passed by voice votes.
The committee chair noted that many of these proposals will go next to Finance and Claims for fiscal review and that further amendment is possible as measures move through the process.
