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Committee debates narrowed criteria and funding cuts for Montana Historic Preservation Grant program
Summary
The Senate Finance and Claims committee heard House Bill 12 (funding allocations) and House Bill 756 (changes to program criteria). Sponsor John Fitzpatrick defended reducing maximum grants and prioritizing preservation of the building envelope; Preserve Montana and several museums expressed 'soft opposition', warning the amendments could exclude needed interior upgrades and ADA/fire-safety work.
Representative John Fitzpatrick opened House Bill 12, describing it as the Montana Historic Preservation Grant (MHPG) program funded by bed tax revenue. He told the committee the subcommittee had about 62 applicants this cycle but roughly half the funds available, prompting the panel to narrow eligibility and ranking criteria to preserve the building envelope (roof, walls, foundation, doors, windows, internal utilities) and to reduce maximum awards from $500,000 to $350,000 in order to spread funds more widely.
Fitzpatrick stressed that the statute ("title 22 chapter 3 section 13 o 5," as read in committee) gives the department advisory recommendations but leaves the legislature free to amend priorities. He said the committee sought to avoid creating an entitlement by repeatedly funding the same projects and to emphasize projects with…
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