AN ACT CLARIFYING THAT A BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MAY LEVY TAXES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF COUNTY ROADS AND BRIDGES WITHIN THE COUNTY; CLARIFYING THAT A BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MAY LEVY TAXES FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE IN ADJACENT COUNTIES IF A ROAD OR BRIDGE PROJECT IS SHARED AMONG COUNTIES; AND AMENDING SECTION 7-14-2101, MCA.

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

Section 1. Section 7-14-2101, MCA, is amended to read:

"7-14-2101. General powers of county relating to roads and bridges -- definitions. (1) The board of county commissioners, under the limitations and restrictions that are prescribed by law, may:

(a) (i) lay out, maintain, control, and manage county roads and bridges within the county;

(ii) levy taxes for the laying out, maintenance, control, and management of the county roads and bridges within the county as provided by law;

(b) (i) in the exercise of sound discretion, jointly with other counties, lay out, maintain, control, manage, and improve county roads and bridges in adjacent counties, wholly or in part as agreed upon between the boards of the counties concerned;

(ii) levy taxes for the laying out, maintenance, control, management, and improvement of county roads and bridges shared jointly with other counties, as agreed upon between the boards of the counties concerned and as provided by law;

(c) (i) enter into agreements for adjusted annual contributions over not more than 6 years toward the cost of joint highway or bridge construction projects entered into in cooperation with other counties, the state, or the United States;

(ii) place a joint project in the budget and levy taxes for the joint project as provided by law.

(2) (a) Unless the context requires otherwise, the term "county road" means any public highway opened, established, constructed, maintained, abandoned, or discontinued by a county in accordance with this chapter.

(b) Unless the context requires otherwise, the term "bridge" includes rights-of-way or other interest in land, abutments, superstructures, piers, and approaches except dirt fills."

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I hereby certify that the within bill,

SB 0226, originated in the Senate.

Secretary of the Senate

President of the Senate

Signed this	day

of	, .

Speaker of the House

Signed this	day

of	, .

SENATE BILL NO. 226

INTRODUCED BY J. HERTEL

AN ACT CLARIFYING THAT A BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MAY LEVY TAXES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF COUNTY ROADS AND BRIDGES WITHIN THE COUNTY; CLARIFYING THAT A BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MAY LEVY TAXES FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE IN ADJACENT COUNTIES IF A ROAD OR BRIDGE PROJECT IS SHARED AMONG COUNTIES; AND AMENDING SECTION 7-14-2101, MCA.