2017 Montana Legislature

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SENATE BILL NO. 27

INTRODUCED BY F. THOMAS

BY REQUEST OF THE REVENUE AND TRANSPORTATION INTERIM COMMITTEE

 

AN ACT REVISING TAX INCREMENT FINANCING LAWS; REQUIRING A PUBLIC MEETING WITH OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR URBAN RENEWAL AGENCIES; REQUIRING LOCAL GOVERNMENT ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORTS TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ON THE FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES OF DISTRICTS USING TAX INCREMENT FINANCING; REQUIRING AN URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY TO INCLUDE CERTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN ITS ANNUAL REPORT; AND AMENDING SECTIONS 2-7-503, 7-15-4221, 7-15-4236, 7-15-4237, AND 7-15-4279, MCA.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

 

     Section 1.  Section 2-7-503, MCA, is amended to read:

     "2-7-503.  Financial reports and audits of local government entities. (1) (a) The governing body or managing or executive officer of a local government entity, other than a school district or associated cooperative, shall ensure that a financial report is made every year. A school district or associated cooperative shall comply with the provisions of 20-9-213. The financial report must cover the preceding fiscal year, be in a form prescribed by the department, and be completed and submitted to the department for review within 6 months of the end of the reporting period.

     (b) The financial report of a local government that has authorized the use of tax increment financing pursuant to 7-15-4282 must include a report of the financial activities related to the tax increment financing provision.

     (2)  The department shall prescribe a uniform reporting system for all local government entities subject to financial reporting requirements, other than school districts. The superintendent of public instruction shall prescribe the reporting requirements for school districts.

     (3)  (a) The governing body or managing or executive officer of each local government entity receiving revenue or financial assistance in the period covered by the financial report in excess of $500,000, regardless of the source of revenue or financial assistance, shall cause an audit to be made at least every 2 years. The audit must cover the entity's preceding 2 fiscal years. The audit must commence within 9 months from the close of the last fiscal year of the audit period. The audit must be completed and submitted to the department for review within 1 year from the close of the last fiscal year covered by the audit.

     (b)  The governing body or managing or executive officer of a local government entity that does not meet the criteria established in subsection (3)(a) shall at least once every 4 years, if directed by the department, or, in the case of a school district, if directed by the department at the request of the superintendent of public instruction, cause a financial review, as defined by department rule, to be conducted of the financial statements of the entity for the preceding fiscal year.

     (4)  An audit conducted in accordance with this part is in lieu of any financial or financial and compliance audit of an individual financial assistance program that a local government is required to conduct under any other state or federal law or regulation. If an audit conducted pursuant to this part provides a state agency with the information that it requires to carry out its responsibilities under state or federal law or regulation, the state agency shall rely upon and use that information to plan and conduct its own audits or reviews in order to avoid a duplication of effort.

     (5)  In addition to the audits required by this section, the department may at any time conduct or contract for a special audit or review of the affairs of any local government entity referred to in this part. The special audit or review must, to the extent practicable, build upon audits performed pursuant to this part.

     (6)  The fee for the special audit or review must be a charge based upon the costs incurred by the department in relation to the special audit or review. The audit fee must be paid by the local government entity to the state treasurer and must be deposited in the enterprise fund to the credit of the department.

     (7)  Failure to comply with the provisions of this section subjects the local government entity to the penalties provided in 2-7-517."

 

     Section 2.  Section 7-15-4221, MCA, is amended to read:

     "7-15-4221.  Modification of urban renewal project plan. (1) An urban renewal project plan may be modified at any time by the local governing body. If modified after the lease or sale by the municipality of real property in the urban renewal project area, the modification is subject to any rights at law or in equity that a lessee or purchaser or the lessee's or purchaser's successor or successors in interest may be entitled to assert.

     (2)  An urban renewal plan may be modified by ordinance.

     (3)  Any urban renewal plan proposed for modification to provide tax increment financing for the district must be proposed with consideration for the county and school districts that include municipal territory.

     (4)  All urban renewal plans approved or modified by resolution prior to May 8, 1979, are validated.

     (5)  A plan may be modified by:

     (a)  the procedure set forth in 7-15-4212 through 7-15-4219 with respect to adoption of an urban renewal plan;

     (b)  the procedure set forth in the plan, which must include a public hearing."

 

     Section 3.  Section 7-15-4236, MCA, is amended to read:

     "7-15-4236.  Conduct of business. The powers and responsibilities of an urban renewal agency shall be exercised by the commissioners thereof. A majority of the commissioners shall constitute constitutes a quorum for the purpose of conducting business and exercising the powers and responsibilities of the agency and for all other purposes. Action may be taken by the agency upon a vote of a majority of the commissioners present unless in any case the bylaws shall require a larger number. Meetings of the board of commissioners must be open to the public as provided in 2-3-203 with the opportunity for public comment as provided in 2-3-103."

 

     Section 4.  Section 7-15-4237, MCA, is amended to read:

     "7-15-4237.  Annual report. (1) An agency authorized to transact business and exercise powers under part 43 and this part shall file with the local governing body, on or before September 30 of each year, a report of its activities for the preceding fiscal year. A copy of the annual report must be made available upon request to the county and school districts that include municipal territory.

     (2)  The report must include a complete financial statement setting forth its assets, liabilities, income, and operating expenses and the amount of the tax increment as of the end of the fiscal year. The report must describe the expenditures of tax increment in the preceding fiscal year and how the expenditures comply with the approved urban renewal plan or comprehensive development plan for the district.

     (3)  At the time of filing the report, the agency shall publish in a newspaper of general circulation in the community a notice to the effect that the report has been filed with the municipality and that the report is available for inspection during business hours in the office of the city clerk and in the office of the agency."

 

     Section 5.  Section 7-15-4279, MCA, is amended to read:

     "7-15-4279.  Targeted economic development districts. (1) A local government may, by ordinance and following a public hearing, authorize the creation of a targeted economic development district in support of value-adding economic development projects. The purpose of the district is the development of infrastructure to encourage the location and retention of value-adding projects in the state.

     (2)  A targeted economic development district:

     (a)  must consist of a continuous area with an accurately described boundary that is large enough to host a diversified tenant base of multiple independent tenants;

     (b)  must be zoned:

     (i)  for uses by a local government under Title 76, chapter 2, part 2 or 3, in accordance with the area growth policy, as defined in 76-1-103; or

     (ii) if a county has not adopted a growth policy, then for uses in accordance with the development pattern and zoning regulations or the development district adopted under Title 76, chapter 2, part 1;

     (c)  may not comprise any property included within an existing tax increment financing district;

     (d)  must, prior to its creation, be found to be deficient in infrastructure improvements as stated in the resolution of necessity adopted under 7-15-4280;

     (e)  must, prior to its creation, have in place a comprehensive development plan adopted by the local governments that ensures that the district can host a diversified tenant base of multiple independent tenants; and

     (f)  may not be designed to serve the needs of a single district tenant or group of nonindependent tenants.

     (3) The local government may use tax increment financing pursuant to the provisions of 7-15-4282 through 7-15-4294 for the targeted economic development district. If the local government uses tax increment financing, the use of and purpose for tax increment financing must be specified in the comprehensive development plan required in subsection (2)(e). The plan must also describe how the expenditure of tax increment will promote the development of infrastructure to encourage the location and retention of value-adding projects in the targeted economic development district.

     (4)(4)  For the purposes of 7-15-4277 through 7-15-4280:

     (a)  "secondary value-added products or commodities" means products or commodities that are manufactured, processed, produced, or created by changing the form of raw materials or intermediate products into more valuable products or commodities that are capable of being sold or traded in interstate commerce;

     (b)  "secondary value-adding industry" means a business that produces secondary value-added products or commodities or a business or organization that is engaged in technology-based operations within Montana that, through the employment of knowledge or labor, adds value to a product, process, or export service resulting in the creation of new wealth."

- END -

 


Latest Version of SB 27 (SB0027.ENR)
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