Senate Bill No. 370

Introduced By _______________________________________________________________________________

A Bill for an Act entitled: "An Act clarifying the provisions relating to architectural services to allow a school district to determine whether architectural services are necessary for the building, furnishing, repairing, or completion of other work for the benefit of the school district; eliminating the $50,000 limit relating to required architectural services; eliminating negotiation for architectural service fees; amending sections 20-6-631 and 20-6-633, MCA; and providing an immediate effective date."

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Montana:

Section 1.  Section 20-6-631, MCA, is amended to read:

"20-6-631.   When contracts for architectural services required. Whenever the trustees of a school district determine that the estimated cost of any building, furnishing, repairing, or other work for the benefit of a school district exceeds $50,000 and requires architectural services, such the trustees of the school district may contract for those services shall be by contract."

Section 2.  Section 20-6-633, MCA, is amended to read:

"20-6-633.   Negotiation of fees Hiring for architectural services authorized. After selecting a firm, the If the trustees determine pursuant to 20-6-631 that architectural services are necessary, the trustees shall negotiate with the selected firm a fair and reasonable fee may hire a firm for the architectural services as described by the school district's scope of the work. In the event the trustees and the firm are unable to negotiate a fair and reasonable fee, the trustees may select another firm, provided the trustees again give reasonable public notice of their selection."

NEW SECTION. Section 3.  Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.

-END-