Committee hears HB 334 to boost disaster recovery funds from $16M to $22M and add surge authority

Representative Brad Barker introduced House Bill 334 to increase Montana’s statutory disaster appropriation from $16 million to $22 million per biennium and to provide additional flexibility for the state to fund planning, training and recovery operations.

Barker said the proposal grew from an interim study on preparedness and recovery following events such as the 2022 Yellowstone floods and aims to fund the "middle" of disaster financing — the planning and recovery phase that falls between immediate response and long‑term capital repair. Ryan Evans, assistant budget director for the governor’s budget office, described the measure as completing the financing arc: "We’ve did a good job at financing the end piece after a disaster. We’ve started funding the first piece... This bill would help us fund that middle part."

Major General J. Peter Hronik, adjutant general and director of the Department of Military Affairs, told the committee the existing $60 million disaster appropriation is valuable for emergency action and repairs but does not allow bringing on a trained recovery workforce; he said HB 334 would authorize up to $3 million each biennium to fill gaps in the recovery program. Delila Bruno, administrator for Disaster and Emergency Services (DES), said the bill would let DES "surge resources pre‑disaster for planning, training, and training state and local entities on disaster recovery." Proponents from counties, fire chiefs and the Department of Commerce described operational examples where recovery work took years and where pre‑disaster planning would have reduced costs and delays.

The bill language, as discussed in testimony, would allow DES to spend up to $3 million each year of the biennium without a governor’s declaration to cover personal services, response, planning, training and the financial management of disaster programs; testimony also referenced maintaining $500,000 per biennium for individuals and household grants and transferring unspent emergency funds to the fire suppression account.

Committee members asked technical questions about administration and eligibility. DES said Office of Budget and Program Planning (OBPP) would carry the appropriation and coordinate spending; DES also said tribal governments and other community partners would be eligible for training and planning resources. On unspent funds, DES testified the money would remain in the governor’s disaster appropriation and roll into the fire suppression fund at the end of the biennium. Representative Barker and proponents said the $3 million per year figure was derived from interim committee experience and historical recovery needs.

Representative Barker closed by recommending the committee give HB 334 a "do pass" report. The hearing closed without a committee vote recorded in the transcript.