Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Cooperatives topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee hears cleanup to Montana cooperative statutes to help out-of-state and for-profit co-ops
Summary
Sen. Butch Gillespie said SB200 clarifies how out-of-state cooperatives register in Montana and removes a nonprofit-only restriction in one chapter so producers and utility co-ops can be organized and registered appropriately.
Sen. Butch Gillespie presented Senate Bill 200 as a statutory clean-up to Montana’s cooperative law. The bill would clarify the definition and registration process for out‑of‑state cooperatives operating in Montana and remove a requirement in one chapter that limited certain cooperative registration to nonprofit entities.
Tracy McIntyre, director of the Montana Council of Cooperatives, told the committee the measure updates the law to reflect how cooperatives operate in practice and would make registration easier for out-of-state co‑ops that serve Montana members. Mark Lambrecht, representing Montana Electric Cooperatives Association, said the bill helps members such as Northern Lights Inc. and Fall River Electric Cooperative that are based out of state but provide Montana service.
Witnesses said the Secretary of State’s office had been consulted during drafting; committee members asked whether the agency would appear as an informational witness and were told it did not attend the Senate hearing. Proponents urged a due‑pass recommendation, describing the bill as routine statutory maintenance rather than policy change.
The committee took testimony and asked clarifying questions; no opponents appeared in the hearing. The hearing closed with the sponsor thanking proponents and offering to answer questions later.
