SENATE BILL NO. 55
INTRODUCED BY M. TAYLOR
BY REQUEST OF THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE
AN ACT REVISING BUDGET REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN ENTERPRISE FUNDS; PROVIDING THAT CERTAIN ENTERPRISE FUNDS ARE SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION; AMENDING SECTIONS 17-7-111, 17-7-123, AND 17-8-101, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE AND AN APPLICABILITY DATE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Section 17-7-111, MCA, is amended to read:
"17-7-111. Preparation of state budget -- agency program budgets -- form distribution and contents. (1) (a) To prepare a state budget, the executive branch, the legislature, and the citizens of the state need information that is consistent and accurate. Necessary information includes detailed disbursements by fund type for each agency and program for the appropriate time period, recommendations for creating a balanced budget, and recommended disbursements and estimated receipts by fund type and fund category.
(b) Subject to the requirements of this chapter, the budget director and the legislative fiscal analyst shall by agreement:
(i) establish necessary standards, formats, and other matters necessary to share information between the agencies and to ensure that information is consistent and accurate for the preparation of the state's budget; and
(ii) provide for the collection and provision of budgetary and financial information that is in addition to or different from the information otherwise required to be provided pursuant to this section.
(2) In the preparation of a state budget, the budget director shall, not later than the date specified in 17-7-112(1), distribute to all agencies the proper forms and instructions necessary for the preparation of budget estimates by the budget director. These forms must be prescribed by the budget director to procure the information required by subsection (3). The forms must be submitted to the budget director by the date provided in 17-7-112(2) or the agency's budget is subject to preparation based upon estimates as provided in 17-7-112(5). The budget director may refuse to accept forms that do not comply with the provisions of this section or the instructions given for completing the forms.
(3) The agency budget request must set forth a balanced financial plan for the agency completing the forms for each fiscal year of the ensuing biennium. The plan must consist of:
(a) a consolidated agency budget summary of funds subject to appropriation or enterprise funds that transfer profits to the general fund or to an account subject to appropriation for the current base budget expenditures, including statutory appropriations, and for each present law adjustment and new proposal request setting forth the aggregate figures of the full-time equivalent personnel positions (FTE) and the budget, showing a balance between the total proposed disbursements and the total anticipated receipts, together with the other means of financing the budget for each fiscal year of the ensuing biennium, contrasted with the corresponding figures for the last completed fiscal year and the fiscal year in progress;
(b) a schedule of the actual and projected receipts, disbursements, and solvency of each accounting entity within each fund for the current biennium and estimated for the subsequent biennium;
(c) a statement of the agency mission and a statement of goals and objectives for each program of the agency. The goals and objectives must include, in a concise form, sufficient specific information and quantifiable information to enable the legislature to formulate an appropriations policy regarding the agency and its programs and to allow a determination, at some future date, on whether the agency has succeeded in attaining its goals and objectives.
(d) actual FTE and disbursements for the completed fiscal year of the current biennium, estimated FTE and disbursements for the current fiscal year, and the agency's request for the ensuing biennium, by program;
(e) actual disbursements for the completed fiscal year of the current biennium, estimated disbursements for the current fiscal year, and the agency's recommendations for the ensuing biennium, by disbursement category;
(f) a reference, for each program included in the agency budget request, identifying whether the program may be operated at the discretion of the agency or whether the agency is required by federal or state law to operate, administer, or manage the program; and
(g) other information the budget director feels is necessary for the preparation of a budget.
(4) The budget director shall prepare and submit to the legislative fiscal analyst in accordance with 17-7-112:
(a) detailed recommendations for the state long-range building program. Each recommendation must be presented by institution, agency, or branch, by funding source, with a description of each proposed project.
(b) the proposed pay plan schedule for all executive branch employees at the program level by fund, with the specific cost and funding recommendations for each agency. Submission of a pay plan schedule under this subsection is not an unfair labor practice under 39-31-401.
(c) agency proposals for the use of cultural and aesthetic project grants under Title 22, chapter 2, part 3, the renewable resource grant and loan program under Title 85, chapter 1, part 6, the reclamation and development grants program under Title 90, chapter 2, part 11, and the treasure state endowment program under Title 90, chapter 6, part 7.
(5) The board of regents shall submit, with its budget request for each university unit in accordance with 17-7-112, a report on the university system bonded indebtedness and related finances as provided in this subsection (5). The report must include the following information for each year of the biennium, contrasted with the same information for the last completed fiscal year and the fiscal year in progress:
(a) a schedule of estimated total bonded indebtedness for each university unit by bond indenture;
(b) a schedule of estimated revenue, expenditures, and fund balances by fiscal year for each outstanding bond indenture, clearly delineating the accounts relating to each indenture and the minimum legal funding requirements for each bond indenture; and
(c) a schedule showing the total funds available from each bond indenture and its associated accounts, with a list of commitments and planned expenditures from such accounts, itemized by revenue source and project for each year of the current and ensuing bienniums.
(6) The budget director may not obtain copies of individual income tax records protected under 15-30-303. The department of revenue shall make individual income tax data available by removing names, addresses, occupations, social security numbers, and taxpayer identification numbers. The department of revenue may not alter the data in any other way. The data is subject to the same restrictions on disclosure as are individual income tax returns."
Section 2. Section 17-7-123, MCA, is amended to read:
"17-7-123. Form of executive budget. The budget submitted must set forth a balanced financial plan of for funds
subject to appropriation and enterprise funds that transfer profits to the general fund or to accounts subject to appropriation
for each accounting entity and for the state government for each fiscal year of the ensuing biennium. The base level plan
must consist of:
(1) a consolidated budget summary setting forth the aggregate figures of the budget in a manner that shows a balance between the total proposed disbursements and the total anticipated receipts, together with the other means of financing the budget for each fiscal year of the ensuing biennium, contrasted with the corresponding figures for the last completed fiscal year and the fiscal year in progress. The consolidated budget summary must be supported by explanatory schedules or statements.
(2) budget and full-time equivalent personnel position comparisons by agency, program, and appropriated funds for the current and subsequent biennium;
(3) the departmental mission and a statement of goals and objectives for each program of the department;
(4) base budget disbursements for the completed fiscal year of the current biennium, estimated comparable disbursements for the current fiscal year, and the proposed present law base budget plus new proposals, if any, for each department and each program of the department;
(5) a statement containing recommendations of the governor for the ensuing biennium by program and disbursement category, including:
(a) explanations of appropriation and revenue measures included in the budget that involve policy changes; and
(b) matters not included as a part of the budget bill but included as a part of the executive budget, such as the state employee pay plan, programs funded through separate appropriations measures, and other matters considered necessary for comprehensive public and legislative consideration of the state budget;
(6) a report on:
(a) enterprise funds not subject to the requirements of subsections (1) through (5), including retained earnings and contributed capital, projected operations and charges, and projected fund balances; and
(b) fees and charges in the internal service fund type, including changes in the level of fees and charges, projected use of the fees and charges, and projected fund balances. Fees and charges in the internal service fund type must be approved by the legislature in the general appropriations act. Fees and charges in a biennium may not exceed the level approved by the legislature in the general appropriations act effective for that biennium.
(7) any other financial or budgetary material agreed to by the budget director and the legislative fiscal analyst."
Section 3. Section 17-8-101, MCA, is amended to read:
"17-8-101. Appropriation and disbursement of money from treasury. (1) For purposes of complying with Article VIII, section 14, of the Montana constitution, money deposited in the general fund, the special revenue fund type (except money deposited in the treasury from nonstate and nonfederal sources restricted by law or by the terms of an agreement, such as a contract, trust agreement, or donation), and the capital projects fund type, with the exception of refunds authorized in subsection (4), may be paid out of the treasury only on appropriation made by law.
(2) Subject to the provisions of subsection (8), money deposited in the enterprise fund type, debt service fund type, internal service fund type, expendable trust fund type, agency fund type, and state special revenue fund from nonstate and nonfederal sources restricted by law or by the terms of an agreement, such as a contract, trust agreement, or donation, may be paid out of the treasury:
(a) by appropriation; or
(b) under general laws, or contracts entered into in pursuance of law, permitting the disbursement.
(3) The pension trust fund type is not considered a part of the state treasury for appropriation purposes. Money deposited in the pension trust fund type may be paid out of the treasury pursuant to general laws, trust agreement, or contract.
(4) Money paid into the state treasury through error or under circumstances such that the state is not legally entitled to
retain it and a refund procedure is not otherwise provided by law may be refunded upon the submission of a verified claim
approved by the department of administration.
(5) Authority to expend appropriated money may be transferred from one state agency to another, provided that the original purpose of the appropriation is maintained. The office of budget and program planning shall report semiannually to the legislative finance committee concerning all appropriations transferred under the provisions of this section.
(6) Fees and charges for services deposited in the internal service fund type must be based upon commensurate costs. The legislative auditor, during regularly scheduled audits of state agencies, shall audit and report on the reasonableness of internal service fund type fees and charges and on the fund equity balances.
(7) The creation of accounts in the enterprise fund or the internal service fund must be approved by the department, using conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as the primary approval criteria. The department shall report annually to the office of budget and program planning and the legislative finance committee on the nature, status, and justification for all new accounts in the enterprise fund and the internal service fund.
(8) Enterprise and internal service funds must be appropriated if they are used as a part of a program that is not an enterprise or internal service function and that otherwise requires an appropriation. An enterprise fund that transfers its ending fund balance to the general fund is subject to appropriation. The payment of funds into an internal service fund must be authorized by law."
Section 4. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.
Section 5. Applicability. [This act] applies to fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, 2001.
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Latest Version of SB 55 (SB0055.ENR)
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