BILL NO.

INTRODUCED BY

(Primary Sponsor)

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A REDUCTION IN PROPERTY TAXES; INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE OF THE MARKET VALUE EXEMPTION FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY BASED ON THE FIRST $150,000 OF THE MARKET VALUE OF THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY; INCREASING DIRECT STATE AID TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM 41.8 PERCENT TO 43.3 PERCENT; CLARIFYING THAT ANTICIPATED REVENUE RECEIVED DURING THE SCHOOL FISCAL YEAR INCLUDES REIMBURSEMENTS FROM LIGHT VEHICLE TAXES RECEIVED DURING FISCAL YEAR 1999; AUTHORIZING DISTRIBUTION OF REVENUE RECEIVED ACCORDING TO THE PRIOR YEAR'S MILL LEVIES; PROVIDING FOR INCREASED REIMBURSEMENTS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS; PROVIDING FOR STATE GENERAL FUND REVENUE SHARING FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS; PROVIDING A STATUTORY APPROPRIATION AND AN APPROPRIATION; AMENDING SECTIONS 15-1-111, 15-1-112, 15-6-201, 17-7-502, 20-9-141, 20-9-306, 20-9-367, AND 20-9-368, MCA, AND SECTION 167, CHAPTER 584, LAWS OF 1999; REPEALING SECTIONS 15-1-111 AND 15-1-112, MCA; AND PROVIDING EFFECTIVE DATES AND APPLICABILITY DATES."

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

Section 1. Section 15-1-111, MCA, is amended to read:

"15-1-111. (Temporary) Reimbursement to local governments and schools -- duties of department and county treasurer -- statutory appropriation. (1) Prior to September 1, 1990, the department's agent in the county shall supply the following information to the department for each taxing jurisdiction within the county:

(a) the number of mills levied in the jurisdiction for tax year 1989;

(b) the number of mills levied in the jurisdiction for tax year 1990;

(c) the total taxable valuation for tax years 1989 and 1990, reported separately for each year, of all personal property not secured by real property; and

(d) the total taxable valuation for tax years 1989 and 1990, reported separately for each year, of all personal property secured by real property.

(2) After receipt of the information from its agent, the department shall calculate the amount of revenue lost to each taxing jurisdiction, using current year mill levies, due to the annual reduction in personal property tax rates set forth in 15-6-138, prior to 1994, and any reduction in taxes based upon recalculation of the effective tax rate for property in 15-6-145, prior to 1994. The department shall total the amounts for all taxing jurisdictions within the county.

(3) (a) The department shall remit to the county treasurer 50% of the amount of revenue reimbursable, determined pursuant to subsection (1), on or before November 30 and the remaining 50% on or before May 31.

(b) For tax year 1993 through tax year 1998 and tax year 2000, the department shall remit to the county treasurer of each county the same amount remitted to the county treasurer for the fiscal year 1991, as adjusted by the result of dissolved or combined taxing jurisdictions, as provided for in subsection (7). Fifty percent of the amount must be remitted on or before November 30 and the remaining 50% on or before May 31.

(c) (i) For tax year 1999, the department shall remit to the county treasurer of each county 90% of the amount remitted to the county treasurer for the fiscal year 1991

.

(ii) The amount remitted must be adjusted by the result of dissolved or combined taxing jurisdictions, as provided for in subsection (7). Fifty percent of the amount must be remitted on or before November 30 and the remaining 50% on or before May 31.

(4) Upon receipt of the reimbursement from the department, the county treasurer shall distribute the reimbursement to each taxing jurisdiction as calculated by the department.

(5) For the purposes of this section and subject to subsection (7), "taxing jurisdiction" means a jurisdiction levying mills against personal property and includes but is not limited to a county, city, school district, tax increment financing district, and miscellaneous taxing district and the state of Montana.

(6) The amounts necessary for the administration of this section are statutorily appropriated, as provided in 17-7-502, from the general fund to reimburse eligible taxing jurisdictions for reductions in tax rates on personal property.

(7) The following apply to taxing jurisdictions that were altered after tax year 1989:

(a) A taxing jurisdiction that existed in tax year 1989 and that no longer exists is not entitled to reimbursement under this section.

(b) A taxing jurisdiction that existed in tax year 1989 and that is split into two or more taxing jurisdictions or that is annexed to or is consolidated with another taxing jurisdiction is entitled to reimbursement based on the portion of 1989 taxable value within each new taxing jurisdiction. The department shall determine the portion of 1989 taxable value located in each taxing jurisdiction.

(c) A taxing jurisdiction that did not exist in tax year 1989 is not entitled to reimbursement under this section unless the jurisdiction was created as described in subsection (7)(b). (Repealed effective July 1, 2008--secs. 66(2), 68(2), Ch. 422, L. 1997.)"

Section 2. Section 15-1-112, MCA, is amended to read:

"15-1-112. Business equipment tax rate reduction reimbursement to local government taxing jurisdictions. (1) On or before January 1, 1996, for the reduction in payment under subsection (4) and by June 1 of 1996, 1997, and 1998 for all other reimbursements in this section, the department of revenue shall determine a reimbursement amount associated with reducing the tax rate in 15-6-138 and provide that information to each county treasurer. The reimbursement amount must be determined for each local government taxing jurisdiction that levied mills on the taxable value of property described in 15-6-138 in the corresponding tax year. However, the reimbursement does not apply to property described in 15-6-138 that has a reduced tax rate under 15-24-1402.

(2) (a) The reimbursement amount to be used as the basis for the payment reduction under subsection (4) is the product of multiplying the tax year 1995 taxable value of property described in 15-6-138 for each local government taxing jurisdiction by the tax year 1995 mill levy for the jurisdiction and then multiplying by 1/9th.

(b) (i) The reimbursement amount for each local government taxing jurisdiction for tax year 1996 is the amount determined under subsection (2)(a) unless the tax year 1996 market value of property described in 15-6-138, for the particular local government taxing jurisdiction, is more than the tax year 1995 market value for property described in 15-6-138 in the same jurisdiction.

(ii) If the tax year 1996 market value is greater than the tax year 1995 market value for a particular jurisdiction, then the reimbursement amount for tax year 1996 is the result of subtracting the simulated 1996 tax from the 1995 tax. The 1995 tax is the tax for the particular jurisdiction, determined by multiplying the actual taxable valuation of property described in 15-6-138, for tax year 1995, by the tax year 1995 mill levy for the jurisdiction. The simulated 1996 tax for the particular jurisdiction is the actual tax year 1996 taxable value of property described in 15-6-138 multiplied by the tax year 1995 mill levy for the particular jurisdiction. If the simulated 1996 tax is greater than the 1995 tax, the reimbursement amount is zero.

(c) (i) The reimbursement amount for each local government taxing jurisdiction for tax year 1997 is the amount determined under subsection (2)(a) multiplied by two unless the tax year 1997 market value of property described in 15-6-138, for the particular local government taxing jurisdiction, is more than the tax year 1995 market value for property described in 15-6-138 in the same jurisdiction.

(ii) If the tax year 1997 market value is greater than the tax year 1995 market value for a particular jurisdiction, then the reimbursement amount for tax year 1997 is the result of subtracting the simulated 1997 tax from the 1995 tax. The 1995 tax is the tax for the particular jurisdiction, determined by multiplying the actual taxable valuation of property described in 15-6-138, for tax year 1995, by the tax year 1995 mill levy for the jurisdiction. The simulated 1997 tax for the particular jurisdiction is the actual tax year 1997 taxable value of property described in 15-6-138 multiplied by the tax year 1995 mill levy for the particular jurisdiction. If the simulated 1997 tax is greater than the 1995 tax, the reimbursement amount is zero.

(d) (i) The reimbursement amount for each local government taxing jurisdiction for tax year 1998 is the amount determined under subsection (2)(a) multiplied by three unless the tax year 1998 market value of property described in 15-6-138, for the particular local government taxing jurisdiction, is more than the tax year 1995 market value for property described in 15-6-138 in the same jurisdiction.

(ii) If the tax year 1998 market value is greater than the tax year 1995 market value for a particular jurisdiction, then the reimbursement amount for tax year 1998 is the result of subtracting the simulated 1998 tax from the 1995 tax. The 1995 tax is the tax for the particular jurisdiction, determined by multiplying the actual taxable valuation of property described in 15-6-138, for tax year 1995, by the tax year 1995 mill levy for the jurisdiction. The simulated 1998 tax for the particular jurisdiction is the actual tax year 1998 taxable value of property described in 15-6-138 multiplied by the tax year 1995 mill levy for the particular jurisdiction. If the simulated 1998 tax is greater than the 1995 tax, the reimbursement amount is zero.

(3) (a) For purposes of this section, "local government taxing jurisdiction" means a local government rather than a state taxing jurisdiction that levied mills against property described in 15-6-138, including county governments, incorporated city and town governments, consolidated county and city governments, tax increment financing districts, local elementary and high school districts, local community college districts, miscellaneous districts, and special districts. The term includes countywide mills levied for equalization of school retirement or transportation.

(b) The term does not include county or state school equalization levies provided for in 20-9-331, 20-9-333, and 20-9-360. It also does not include any state levy for welfare programs provided for in 53-2-813.

(c) Each tax increment financing district must receive the benefit of the state mill on the incremental taxable value of the district.

(4) County treasurers shall reduce the county payment to the state for the levy imposed under 20-9-360 in June of 1996 by an amount equal to 38% of the reimbursement amount determined under subsection (2)(a) for all of the local government taxing jurisdictions in the county.

(5) County treasurers shall reduce the county payment to the state for the levy imposed under 20-9-360 in December of 1996 by an amount equal to 31% of the reimbursement amount for tax year 1996 for all of the local government taxing jurisdictions in the county, as determined by the department under subsection (2).

(6) County treasurers shall reduce the county payment to the state for the levy imposed under 20-9-360 in June of 1997 by an amount equal to 31% of the reimbursement amount for tax year 1996 for all of the local government taxing jurisdictions in the county and by an amount equal to 38% of the reimbursement amount for tax year 1997 for all of the local government taxing jurisdictions in the county, as determined by the department under subsection (2).

(7) County treasurers shall reduce the county payment to the state for the levy imposed under 20-9-360 in December of 1997 by an amount equal to 31% of the reimbursement amount for tax year 1997 for all of the local government taxing jurisdictions in the county, as determined by the department under subsection (2).

(8) County treasurers shall reduce the county payment to the state for the levy imposed under 20-9-360 in June of 1998 by an amount equal to 31% of the reimbursement amount for tax year 1997 for all of the local government taxing jurisdictions in the county and by an amount equal to 38% of the reimbursement amount for tax year 1998 for all of the local government taxing jurisdictions in the county, as determined by the department under subsection (2).

(9) County treasurers shall reduce the county payment to the state for the levy imposed under 20-9-360 in December of 1998 by an amount equal to 31% of the reimbursement amount for tax year 1998 for all of the local government taxing jurisdictions in the county, as determined by the department under subsection (2).

(10) County treasurers shall reduce the county payment to the state for the levy imposed under 20-9-360 in June of 1999 by an amount equal to 69% of the reimbursement amount for tax year 1998 for all of the local government taxing jurisdictions in the county, as determined by the department under subsection (2).

(11) County treasurers shall reduce the county payment to the state for the levy imposed under 20-9-360 in December of the year 1999 by an amount equal to 31% of the reimbursement amount determined in subsection (13) for all of the local government taxing jurisdictions in the county, as determined by the department under subsection (2).

(12) County treasurers shall reduce the county payment to the state for the levy imposed under 20-9-360 in June of the year 2000 by an amount equal to 69% of the reimbursement amount determined in subsection (13) for all of the local government taxing jurisdictions in the county, as determined by the department under subsection (2).

(13) (a) The reimbursement amount for tax year 1999 must be 90% of the reimbursement amount for tax year 1998

.

(b) The reimbursement amount for tax year 1999 must be the basis for reducing the amount remitted to the state for the levy imposed under 20-9-360 in December of the same year and June of the following year.

(14) (a) The reimbursement amount for tax year 2000 is the same amount reimbursed for tax year 1998.

(b) County treasurers shall reduce the county payment to the state for the levy imposed under 20-9-360 in December of the year 2000 by an amount equal to 31% of the reimbursement amount for tax year 2000 for all of the local government taxing jurisdictions in the county, as determined by the department under subsection (14)(a).

(c) County treasurers shall reduce the county payment to the state for the levy imposed under 20-9-360 in June of the year 2001 by an amount equal to 69% of the reimbursement amount for tax year 2000 for all of the local government taxing jurisdictions in the county, as determined by the department under subsection (14)(a).

(15) The county treasurer shall use the funds from the reduced payment to the state for the levy imposed under 20-9-360 to reimburse each local government taxing jurisdiction in the amount determined by the department under subsection (2). The reimbursement must be distributed to funds within local government taxing jurisdictions in the same manner as taxes on property described in 15-6-138 are distributed. The reimbursement in June must be distributed based on the prior year's mill levy, and the reimbursement in December must be based on the current year's mill levy.

(16) Each local government taxing jurisdiction receiving reimbursements shall consider the amount of reimbursement that will be received and lower the mill levy otherwise necessary to fund the budget by the amount that would otherwise have to be raised by the mill levy.

(17) A local government taxing jurisdiction that ceases to exist after October 1, 1995, will no longer be considered for revenue loss or reimbursement purposes. A local government taxing jurisdiction that is created after January 1, 1996, will not be considered for revenue loss or reimbursement purposes. If a local government taxing jurisdiction that existed prior to January of 1996 is split between two or more taxing jurisdictions or is annexed to or is consolidated with another taxing jurisdiction, the department shall determine how much of the revenue loss and reimbursement is attributed to the new jurisdictions."

Section 3. Section 15-6-201, MCA, is amended to read:

"15-6-201. (Temporary) Exempt categories. (1) The following categories of property are exempt from taxation:

(a) except as provided in 15-24-1203, the property of:

(i) the United States, except:

(A) if congress passes legislation that allows the state to tax property owned by the federal government or an agency created by congress; or

(B) as provided in 15-24-1103;

(ii) the state, counties, cities, towns, and school districts;

(iii) irrigation districts organized under the laws of Montana and not operating for profit;

(iv) municipal corporations;

(v) public libraries; and

(vi) rural fire districts and other entities providing fire protection under Title 7, chapter 33;

(b) buildings, with land that they occupy and furnishings in the buildings, that are owned by a church and used for actual religious worship or for residences of the clergy, together with adjacent land reasonably necessary for convenient use of the buildings;

(c) property used exclusively for agricultural and horticultural societies, for educational purposes, and for nonprofit health care facilities, as defined in 50-5-101, licensed by the department of public health and human services and organized under Title 35, chapter 2 or 3. A health care facility that is not licensed by the department of public health and human services and organized under Title 35, chapter 2 or 3, is not exempt.

(d) property that is:

(i) owned and held by an association or corporation organized under Title 35, chapter 2, 3, 20, or 21;

(ii) devoted exclusively to use in connection with a cemetery or cemeteries for which a permanent care and improvement fund has been established as provided for in Title 35, chapter 20, part 3; and

(iii) not maintained and operated for private or corporate profit;

(e) subject to subsection (2), property that is owned or property that is leased from a federal, state, or local governmental entity by institutions of purely public charity if the property is directly used for purely public charitable purposes;

(f) evidence of debt secured by mortgages of record upon real or personal property in the state of Montana;

(g) public museums, art galleries, zoos, and observatories that are not used or held for private or corporate profit;

(h) all household goods and furniture, including but not limited to clocks, musical instruments, sewing machines, and wearing apparel of members of the family, used by the owner for personal and domestic purposes or for furnishing or equipping the family residence;

(i) truck canopy covers or toppers and campers;

(j) a bicycle, as defined in 61-1-123, used by the owner for personal transportation purposes;

(k) motor homes;

(l) all watercraft;

(m) motor vehicles, land, fixtures, buildings, and improvements owned by a cooperative association or nonprofit corporation organized to furnish potable water to its members or customers for uses other than the irrigation of agricultural land;

(n) the right of entry that is a property right reserved in land or received by mesne conveyance (exclusive of leasehold interests), devise, or succession to enter land with a surface title that is held by another to explore, prospect, or dig for oil, gas, coal, or minerals;

(o) (i) property that is owned and used by a corporation or association organized and operated exclusively for the care of persons with developmental disabilities, persons with mental illness, or persons with physical or mental impairments that constitute or result in substantial impediments to employment and that is not operated for gain or profit; and

(ii) property that is owned and used by an organization owning and operating facilities that are for the care of the retired, aged, or chronically ill and that are not operated for gain or profit;

(p) all farm buildings with a market value of less than $500 and all agricultural implements and machinery with a market value of less than $100;

(q) property owned by a nonprofit corporation that is organized to provide facilities primarily for training and practice for or competition in international sports and athletic events and that is not held or used for private or corporate gain or profit. For purposes of this subsection (1)(q), "nonprofit corporation" means an organization that is exempt from taxation under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code and incorporated and admitted under the Montana Nonprofit Corporation Act.

(r) (i) the first $15,000 or less of market value of tools owned by the taxpayer that are customarily hand-held and that are used to:

(A) construct, repair, and maintain improvements to real property; or

(B) repair and maintain machinery, equipment, appliances, or other personal property;

(ii) space vehicles and all machinery, fixtures, equipment, and tools used in the design, manufacture, launch, repair, and maintenance of space vehicles that are owned by businesses engaged in manufacturing and launching space vehicles in the state or that are owned by a contractor or subcontractor of that business and that are directly used for space vehicle design, manufacture, launch, repair, and maintenance;

(s) harness, saddlery, and other tack equipment;

(t) a title plant owned by a title insurer or a title insurance producer, as those terms are defined in 33-25-105;

(u) timber as defined in 15-44-102;

(v) all trailers as defined in 61-1-111, semitrailers as defined in 61-1-112, pole trailers as defined in 61-1-114, and travel trailers as defined in 61-1-131;

(w) all vehicles registered under 61-3-456;

(x) (i) buses, trucks having a manufacturer's rated capacity of more than 1 ton, and truck tractors, including buses, trucks, and truck tractors apportioned under Title 61, chapter 3, part 7; and

(ii) personal property that is attached to a bus, truck, or truck tractor that is exempt under subsection (1)(x)(i);

(y) motorcycles and quadricycles;

(z) (i) for tax year 1999, 16% of the market value of residential property as described in 15-6-134(1)(e) and (1)(f)

;

(ii) the following percentage of the first $150,000 of the market value of residential property as described in 15-6-134 (1)(e) and (1)(f):

(A) 24% for tax year 2000;

(B) 28.5% for tax year 2001; and

(C) 32% for tax year 2002 and succeeding tax years;

(aa) the following percentage of the market value of commercial property as described in 15-6-134(1)(g);

(i) 6.5% for tax year 1999;

(ii) 9% for tax year 2000;

(iii) 11% for tax year 2001; and

(iv) 13% for tax year 2002 and succeeding tax years;

(bb) the percentage of valuation of land calculated pursuant to 15-7-111(4); and

(cc) personal property used by an industrial dairy or an industrial milk processor and dairy livestock used by an industrial dairy.

(2) (a) For the purposes of subsection (1)(e):

(i) the term "institutions of purely public charity" includes any organization that meets the following requirements:

(A) The organization offers its charitable goods or services to persons without regard to race, religion, creed, or gender and qualifies as a tax-exempt organization under the provisions of section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code, as amended.

(B) The organization accomplishes its activities through absolute gratuity or grants. However, the organization may solicit or raise funds by the sale of merchandise, memberships, or tickets to public performances or entertainment or by other similar types of fundraising activities.

(ii) agricultural property owned by a purely public charity is not exempt if the agricultural property is used by the charity to produce unrelated business taxable income as that term is defined in section 512 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 512. A public charity claiming an exemption for agricultural property shall file annually with the department a copy of its federal tax return reporting any unrelated business taxable income received by the charity during the tax year, together with a statement indicating whether the exempt property was used to generate any unrelated business taxable income.

(b) For the purposes of subsection (1)(g), the term "public museums, art galleries, zoos, and observatories" means governmental entities or nonprofit organizations whose principal purpose is to hold property for public display or for use as a museum, art gallery, zoo, or observatory. The exempt property includes all real and personal property reasonably necessary for use in connection with the public display or observatory use. Unless the property is leased for a profit to a governmental entity or nonprofit organization by an individual or for-profit organization, real and personal property owned by other persons is exempt if it is:

(i) actually used by the governmental entity or nonprofit organization as a part of its public display;

(ii) held for future display; or

(iii) used to house or store a public display.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1)(cc):

(a) "industrial dairy" means a large-scale dairy operation with 1,000 or more milking cows and includes the dairy livestock and integral machinery and equipment that the dairy uses to produce milk and milk products solely for export from the state, either directly by the dairy or after the milk or milk product has been further processed by an industrial milk processor. After export, any unprocessed milk must be further processed into other dairy products.

(b) "industrial milk processor" means a facility and integral machinery used solely to process milk into milk products for export from the state.

(4) The following portions of the appraised value of a capital investment in a recognized nonfossil form of energy generation or low emission wood or biomass combustion devices, as defined in 15-32-102, are exempt from taxation for a period of 10 years following installation of the property:

(a) $20,000 in the case of a single-family residential dwelling;

(b) $100,000 in the case of a multifamily residential dwelling or a nonresidential structure.

15-6-201. (Effective January 1, 2003) Exempt categories. (1) The following categories of property are exempt from taxation:

(a) except as provided in 15-24-1203, the property of:

(i) the United States, except:

(A) if congress passes legislation that allows the state to tax property owned by the federal government or an agency created by congress; or

(B) as provided in 15-24-1103;

(ii) the state, counties, cities, towns, and school districts;

(iii) irrigation districts organized under the laws of Montana and not operating for profit;

(iv) municipal corporations;

(v) public libraries; and

(vi) rural fire districts and other entities providing fire protection under Title 7, chapter 33;

(b) buildings, with land that they occupy and furnishings in the buildings, that are owned by a church and used for actual religious worship or for residences of the clergy, together with adjacent land reasonably necessary for convenient use of the buildings;

(c) property used exclusively for agricultural and horticultural societies, for educational purposes, and for nonprofit health care facilities, as defined in 50-5-101, licensed by the department of public health and human services and organized under Title 35, chapter 2 or 3. A health care facility that is not licensed by the department of public health and human services and organized under Title 35, chapter 2 or 3, is not exempt.

(d) property that is:

(i) owned and held by an association or corporation organized under Title 35, chapter 2, 3, 20, or 21;

(ii) devoted exclusively to use in connection with a cemetery or cemeteries for which a permanent care and improvement fund has been established as provided for in Title 35, chapter 20, part 3; and

(iii) not maintained and operated for private or corporate profit;

(e) subject to subsection (2), property that is owned or property that is leased from a federal, state, or local governmental entity by institutions of purely public charity if the property is directly used for purely public charitable purposes;

(f) evidence of debt secured by mortgages of record upon real or personal property in the state of Montana;

(g) public museums, art galleries, zoos, and observatories that are not used or held for private or corporate profit;

(h) all household goods and furniture, including but not limited to clocks, musical instruments, sewing machines, and wearing apparel of members of the family, used by the owner for personal and domestic purposes or for furnishing or equipping the family residence;

(i) truck canopy covers or toppers and campers;

(j) a bicycle, as defined in 61-1-123, used by the owner for personal transportation purposes;

(k) motor homes;

(l) all watercraft;

(m) motor vehicles, land, fixtures, buildings, and improvements owned by a cooperative association or nonprofit corporation organized to furnish potable water to its members or customers for uses other than the irrigation of agricultural land;

(n) the right of entry that is a property right reserved in land or received by mesne conveyance (exclusive of leasehold interests), devise, or succession to enter land with a surface title that is held by another to explore, prospect, or dig for oil, gas, coal, or minerals;

(o) (i) property that is owned and used by a corporation or association organized and operated exclusively for the care of persons with developmental disabilities, persons with mental illness, or persons with physical or mental impairments that constitute or result in substantial impediments to employment and that is not operated for gain or profit; and

(ii) property that is owned and used by an organization owning and operating facilities that are for the care of the retired, aged, or chronically ill and that are not operated for gain or profit;

(p) all farm buildings with a market value of less than $500 and all agricultural implements and machinery with a market value of less than $100;

(q) property owned by a nonprofit corporation that is organized to provide facilities primarily for training and practice for or competition in international sports and athletic events and that is not held or used for private or corporate gain or profit. For purposes of this subsection (1)(q), "nonprofit corporation" means an organization that is exempt from taxation under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code and incorporated and admitted under the Montana Nonprofit Corporation Act.

(r) (i) the first $15,000 or less of market value of tools owned by the taxpayer that are customarily hand-held and that are used to:

(A) construct, repair, and maintain improvements to real property; or

(B) repair and maintain machinery, equipment, appliances, or other personal property;

(ii) space vehicles and all machinery, fixtures, equipment, and tools used in the design, manufacture, launch, repair, and maintenance of space vehicles that are owned by businesses engaged in manufacturing and launching space vehicles in the state or that are owned by a contractor or subcontractor of that business and that are directly used for space vehicle design, manufacture, launch, repair, and maintenance;

(s) harness, saddlery, and other tack equipment;

(t) a title plant owned by a title insurer or a title insurance producer, as those terms are defined in 33-25-105;

(u) timber as defined in 15-44-102;

(v) all trailers as defined in 61-1-111, semitrailers as defined in 61-1-112, pole trailers as defined in 61-1-114, and travel trailers as defined in 61-1-131;

(w) all vehicles registered under 61-3-456;

(x) (i) buses, trucks having a manufacturer's rated capacity of more than 1 ton, and truck tractors, including buses, trucks, and truck tractors apportioned under Title 61, chapter 3, part 7; and

(ii) personal property that is attached to a bus, truck, or truck tractor that is exempt under subsection (1)(x)(i);

(y) motorcycles and quadricycles;

(z) (i) for tax year 1999, 16% of the market value of residential property as described in 15-6-134(1)(e) and (1)(f)

;

(ii) the following percentage of the first $150,000 of the market value of residential property as described in 15-6-134(1)(e) and (1)(f):

(A) 24% for tax year 2000;

(B) 28.5% for tax year 2001; and

(C) 32% for tax year 2002 and succeeding tax years;

(aa) the following percentage of the market value of commercial property as described in 15-6-134(1)(g);

(i) 6.5% for tax year 1999;

(ii) 9% for tax year 2000;

(iii) 11% for tax year 2001; and

(iv) 13% for tax year 2002 and succeeding tax years;

(bb) the percentage of valuation of land calculated pursuant to 15-7-111(4);

(cc) personal property used by an industrial dairy or an industrial milk processor and dairy livestock used by an industrial dairy; and

(dd) items of personal property intended for rent or lease in the ordinary course of business if each item of personal property satisfies all of the following:

(i) the acquired cost of the personal property is less than $15,000;

(ii) the personal property is owned by a business whose primary business income is from rental or lease of personal property to individuals and no one customer of the business accounts for more than 10% of the total rentals or leases during a calendar year; and

(iii) the lease of the personal property is generally on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis.

(2) (a) For the purposes of subsection (1)(e):

(i) the term "institutions of purely public charity" includes any organization that meets the following requirements:

(A) The organization offers its charitable goods or services to persons without regard to race, religion, creed, or gender and qualifies as a tax-exempt organization under the provisions of section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code, as amended.

(B) The organization accomplishes its activities through absolute gratuity or grants. However, the organization may solicit or raise funds by the sale of merchandise, memberships, or tickets to public performances or entertainment or by other similar types of fundraising activities.

(ii) agricultural property owned by a purely public charity is not exempt if the agricultural property is used by the charity to produce unrelated business taxable income as that term is defined in section 512 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 512. A public charity claiming an exemption for agricultural property shall file annually with the department a copy of its federal tax return reporting any unrelated business taxable income received by the charity during the tax year, together with a statement indicating whether the exempt property was used to generate any unrelated business taxable income.

(b) For the purposes of subsection (1)(g), the term "public museums, art galleries, zoos, and observatories" means governmental entities or nonprofit organizations whose principal purpose is to hold property for public display or for use as a museum, art gallery, zoo, or observatory. The exempt property includes all real and personal property reasonably necessary for use in connection with the public display or observatory use. Unless the property is leased for a profit to a governmental entity or nonprofit organization by an individual or for-profit organization, real and personal property owned by other persons is exempt if it is:

(i) actually used by the governmental entity or nonprofit organization as a part of its public display;

(ii) held for future display; or

(iii) used to house or store a public display.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1)(cc):

(a) "industrial dairy" means a large-scale dairy operation with 1,000 or more milking cows and includes the dairy livestock and integral machinery and equipment that the dairy uses to produce milk and milk products solely for export from the state, either directly by the dairy or after the milk or milk product has been further processed by an industrial milk processor. After export, any unprocessed milk must be further processed into other dairy products.

(b) "industrial milk processor" means a facility and integral machinery used solely to process milk into milk products for export from the state.

(4) The following portions of the appraised value of a capital investment in a recognized nonfossil form of energy generation or low emission wood or biomass combustion devices, as defined in 15-32-102, are exempt from taxation for a period of 10 years following installation of the property:

(a) $20,000 in the case of a single-family residential dwelling;

(b) $100,000 in the case of a multifamily residential dwelling or a nonresidential structure.

15-6-201. (Effective on occurrence of contingency) Exempt categories. (1) The following categories of property are exempt from taxation:

(a) except as provided in 15-24-1203, the property of:

(i) the United States, except:

(A) if congress passes legislation that allows the state to tax property owned by the federal government or an agency created by congress; or

(B) as provided in 15-24-1103;

(ii) the state, counties, cities, towns, and school districts;

(iii) irrigation districts organized under the laws of Montana and not operating for profit;

(iv) municipal corporations;

(v) public libraries; and

(vi) rural fire districts and other entities providing fire protection under Title 7, chapter 33;

(b) buildings, with land that they occupy and furnishings in the buildings, that are owned by a church and used for actual religious worship or for residences of the clergy, together with adjacent land reasonably necessary for convenient use of the buildings;

(c) property used exclusively for agricultural and horticultural societies, for educational purposes, and for nonprofit health care facilities, as defined in 50-5-101, licensed by the department of public health and human services and organized under Title 35, chapter 2 or 3. A health care facility that is not licensed by the department of public health and human services and organized under Title 35, chapter 2 or 3, is not exempt.

(d) property that is:

(i) owned and held by an association or corporation organized under Title 35, chapter 2, 3, 20, or 21;

(ii) devoted exclusively to use in connection with a cemetery or cemeteries for which a permanent care and improvement fund has been established as provided for in Title 35, chapter 20, part 3; and

(iii) not maintained and operated for private or corporate profit;

(e) subject to subsection (2), property that is owned or property that is leased from a federal, state, or local governmental entity by institutions of purely public charity if the property is directly used for purely public charitable purposes;

(f) evidence of debt secured by mortgages of record upon real or personal property in the state of Montana;

(g) public museums, art galleries, zoos, and observatories that are not used or held for private or corporate profit;

(h) all household goods and furniture, including but not limited to clocks, musical instruments, sewing machines, and wearing apparel of members of the family, used by the owner for personal and domestic purposes or for furnishing or equipping the family residence;

(i) truck canopy covers or toppers and campers;

(j) a bicycle, as defined in 61-1-123, used by the owner for personal transportation purposes;

(k) motor homes;

(l) all watercraft;

(m) motor vehicles, land, fixtures, buildings, and improvements owned by a cooperative association or nonprofit corporation organized to furnish potable water to its members or customers for uses other than the irrigation of agricultural land;

(n) the right of entry that is a property right reserved in land or received by mesne conveyance (exclusive of leasehold interests), devise, or succession to enter land with a surface title that is held by another to explore, prospect, or dig for oil, gas, coal, or minerals;

(o) (i) property that is owned and used by a corporation or association organized and operated exclusively for the care of persons with developmental disabilities, persons with mental illness, or persons with physical or mental impairments that constitute or result in substantial impediments to employment and that is not operated for gain or profit; and

(ii) property that is owned and used by an organization owning and operating facilities that are for the care of the retired, aged, or chronically ill and that are not operated for gain or profit;

(p) all farm buildings with a market value of less than $500 and all agricultural implements and machinery with a market value of less than $100;

(q) property owned by a nonprofit corporation that is organized to provide facilities primarily for training and practice for or competition in international sports and athletic events and that is not held or used for private or corporate gain or profit. For purposes of this subsection (1)(q), "nonprofit corporation" means an organization that is exempt from taxation under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code and incorporated and admitted under the Montana Nonprofit Corporation Act.

(r) (i) the first $15,000 or less of market value of tools owned by the taxpayer that are customarily hand-held and that are used to:

(A) construct, repair, and maintain improvements to real property; or

(B) repair and maintain machinery, equipment, appliances, or other personal property;

(ii) space vehicles and all machinery, fixtures, equipment, and tools used in the design, manufacture, launch, repair, and maintenance of space vehicles that are owned by businesses engaged in manufacturing and launching space vehicles in the state or that are owned by a contractor or subcontractor of that business and that are directly used for space vehicle design, manufacture, launch, repair, and maintenance;

(s) harness, saddlery, and other tack equipment;

(t) a title plant owned by a title insurer or a title insurance producer, as those terms are defined in 33-25-105;

(u) timber as defined in 15-44-102;

(v) all trailers as defined in 61-1-111, semitrailers as defined in 61-1-112, pole trailers as defined in 61-1-114, and travel trailers as defined in 61-1-131;

(w) all vehicles registered under 61-3-456;

(x) (i) buses, trucks having a manufacturer's rated capacity of more than 1 ton, and truck tractors, including buses, trucks, and truck tractors apportioned under Title 61, chapter 3, part 7; and

(ii) personal property that is attached to a bus, truck, or truck tractor that is exempt under subsection (1)(x)(i);

(y) motorcycles and quadricycles;

(z) (i) for tax year 1999, 16% of the market value of residential property as described in 15-6-134(1)(e) and (1)(f)

;

(ii) the following percentage of the first $150,000 of the market value of residential property as described in 15-6-134(1)(e) and (1)(f):

(A) 24% for tax year 2000;

(B) 28.5% for tax year 2001; and

(C) 32% for tax year 2002 and succeeding tax years;

(aa) the following percentage of the market value of commercial property as described in 15-6-134(1)(g);

(i) 6.5% for tax year 1999;

(ii) 9% for tax year 2000;

(iii) 11% for tax year 2001; and

(iv) 13% for tax year 2002 and succeeding tax years;

(bb) the percentage of valuation of land calculated pursuant to 15-7-111(4);

(cc) personal property used by an industrial dairy or an industrial milk processor and dairy livestock used by an industrial dairy;

(dd) items of personal property intended for rent or lease in the ordinary course of business if each item of personal property satisfies all of the following:

(i) the acquired cost of the personal property is less than $15,000;

(ii) the personal property is owned by a business whose primary business income is from rental or lease of personal property to individuals and no one customer of the business accounts for more than 10% of the total rentals or leases during a calendar year; and

(iii) the lease of the personal property is generally on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis;

(ee) all agricultural implements and equipment;

(ff) all mining machinery, fixtures, equipment, tools that are not exempt under 15-6-201(1)(r), and supplies except those included in class five;

(gg) all manufacturing machinery, fixtures, equipment, tools that are not exempt under 15-6-201(1)(r), and supplies except those included in class five;

(hh) all goods and equipment that are intended for rent or lease, except goods and equipment that are specifically included and taxed in another class;

(ii) special mobile equipment as defined in 61-1-104;

(jj) furniture, fixtures, and equipment, except that specifically included in another class, used in commercial establishments as defined in this section;

(kk) x-ray and medical and dental equipment;

(ll) citizens' band radios and mobile telephones;

(mm) radio and television broadcasting and transmitting equipment;

(nn) cable television systems;

(oo) coal and ore haulers; and

(pp) theater projectors and sound equipment.

(2) (a) For the purposes of subsection (1)(e):

(i) the term "institutions of purely public charity" includes any organization that meets the following requirements:

(A) The organization offers its charitable goods or services to persons without regard to race, religion, creed, or gender and qualifies as a tax-exempt organization under the provisions of section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code, as amended.

(B) The organization accomplishes its activities through absolute gratuity or grants. However, the organization may solicit or raise funds by the sale of merchandise, memberships, or tickets to public performances or entertainment or by other similar types of fundraising activities.

(ii) agricultural property owned by a purely public charity is not exempt if the agricultural property is used by the charity to produce unrelated business taxable income as that term is defined in section 512 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 512. A public charity claiming an exemption for agricultural property shall file annually with the department a copy of its federal tax return reporting any unrelated business taxable income received by the charity during the tax year, together with a statement indicating whether the exempt property was used to generate any unrelated business taxable income.

(b) For the purposes of subsection (1)(g), the term "public museums, art galleries, zoos, and observatories" means governmental entities or nonprofit organizations whose principal purpose is to hold property for public display or for use as a museum, art gallery, zoo, or observatory. The exempt property includes all real and personal property reasonably necessary for use in connection with the public display or observatory use. Unless the property is leased for a profit to a governmental entity or nonprofit organization by an individual or for-profit organization, real and personal property owned by other persons is exempt if it is:

(i) actually used by the governmental entity or nonprofit organization as a part of its public display;

(ii) held for future display; or

(iii) used to house or store a public display.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1)(cc):

(a) "industrial dairy" means a large-scale dairy operation with 1,000 or more milking cows and includes the dairy livestock and integral machinery and equipment that the dairy uses to produce milk and milk products solely for export from the state, either directly by the dairy or after the milk or milk product has been further processed by an industrial milk processor. After export, any unprocessed milk must be further processed into other dairy products.

(b) "industrial milk processor" means a facility and integral machinery used solely to process milk into milk products for export from the state.

(4) The following portions of the appraised value of a capital investment in a recognized nonfossil form of energy generation or low emission wood or biomass combustion devices, as defined in 15-32-102, are exempt from taxation for a period of 10 years following installation of the property:

(a) $20,000 in the case of a single-family residential dwelling;

(b) $100,000 in the case of a multifamily residential dwelling or a nonresidential structure."

Section 4. Section 17-7-502, MCA, is amended to read:

"17-7-502. Statutory appropriations -- definition -- requisites for validity. (1) A statutory appropriation is an appropriation made by permanent law that authorizes spending by a state agency without the need for a biennial legislative appropriation or budget amendment.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (4), to be effective, a statutory appropriation must comply with both of the following provisions:

(a) The law containing the statutory authority must be listed in subsection (3).

(b) The law or portion of the law making a statutory appropriation must specifically state that a statutory appropriation is made as provided in this section.

(3) The following laws are the only laws containing statutory appropriations: 2-17-105; 3-5-901; 5-13-403; 10-3-203; 10-3-310; 10-3-312; 10-3-314; 10-4-301; [section 12]; 15-23-706; 15-31-702; 15-34-115; 15-36-324; 15-37-117; 15-38-202; 15-65-121; 15-70-101; 16-1-404; 16-1-406; 16-1-411; 17-3-106; 17-3-212; 17-3-222; 17-6-101; 17-7-304; 18-11-112; 19-3-319; 19-6-709; 19-9-702; 19-13-604; 19-17-301; 19-18-512; 19-19-305; 19-19-506; 19-20-604; 20-8-107; 20-26-1503; 22-3-1004; 23-5-136; 23-5-306; 23-5-409; 23-5-610; 23-5-612; 23-5-631; 23-7-301; 23-7-402; 37-43-204; 37-51-501; 39-71-503; 42-2-105; 44-12-206; 44-13-102; 50-4-623; 53-6-703; 53-24-206; 67-3-205; 75-1-1101; 75-5-1108; 75-6-214; 75-11-313; 77-1-505; 80-2-222; 80-4-416; 80-11-518; 81-5-111; 82-11-161; 87-1-513; 90-3-1003; and 90-9-306.

(4) There is a statutory appropriation to pay the principal, interest, premiums, and costs of issuing, paying, and securing all bonds, notes, or other obligations, as due, that have been authorized and issued pursuant to the laws of Montana. Agencies that have entered into agreements authorized by the laws of Montana to pay the state treasurer, for deposit in accordance with 17-2-101 through 17-2-107, as determined by the state treasurer, an amount sufficient to pay the principal and interest as due on the bonds or notes have statutory appropriation authority for the payments. (In subsection (3): pursuant to sec. 7, Ch. 567, L. 1991, the inclusion of 19-6-709 terminates upon death of last recipient eligible for supplemental benefit; pursuant to sec. 10, Ch. 360, L. 1999, the inclusion of 19-20-604 terminates when the amortization period for the teachers' retirement system's unfunded liability is 10 years or less; and pursuant to sec. 4, Ch. 497, L. 1999, the inclusion of 15-38-202 terminates July 1, 2014.)"

Section 5. Section 20-9-141, MCA, is amended to read:

"20-9-141. Computation of general fund net levy requirement by county superintendent. (1) The county superintendent shall compute the levy requirement for each district's general fund on the basis of the following procedure:

(a) Determine the funding required for the district's final general fund budget less the sum of direct state aid and the special education allowable cost payment for the district by totaling:

(i) the district's nonisolated school BASE budget requirement to be met by a district levy as provided in 20-9-303; and

(ii) any general fund budget amount adopted by the trustees of the district under the provisions of 20-9-308 and 20-9-353, including any additional funding for a general fund budget that exceeds the maximum general fund budget.

(b) Determine the money available for the reduction of the property tax on the district for the general fund by totaling:

(i) the general fund balance reappropriated, as established under the provisions of 20-9-104;

(ii) actual amounts received in fiscal year 1999 for light vehicles under 61-3-504;

(iii) amounts received in the last fiscal year for which revenue reporting was required for each of the following:

(A) revenue from taxes and fees imposed under 23-2-517, 23-2-803, 61-3-521, 61-3-527, 61-3-529, and 67-3-204;

(B) interest earned by the investment of general fund cash in accordance with the provisions of 20-9-213(4); and

(C) any other revenue received during the school fiscal year that may be used to finance the general fund, excluding any guaranteed tax base aid;

(iv) anticipated tuition payments for out-of-district pupils under the provisions of 20-5-321 through 20-5-323, except the amount of tuition received for a pupil who is a child with a disability in excess of the amount received for a pupil without disabilities, as calculated under 20-5-323(2);

(v) anticipated oil and natural gas production taxes;

(vi) pursuant to subsection (4), anticipated revenue from coal gross proceeds under 15-23-703 and property tax reimbursements under 15-1-111, 15-1-112, and section 167, Chapter 584, Laws of 1999; and

(vii) anticipated revenue from corporation license taxes collected from financial institutions under the provisions of 15-31-702.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (2), subtract the money available to reduce the property tax required to finance the general fund that has been determined in subsection (1)(b) from any general fund budget amount adopted by the trustees of the district, up to the BASE budget amount, to determine the general fund BASE budget levy requirement.

(d) Subtract any amount remaining after the determination in subsection (1)(c) from any additional funding requirement to be met by an over-BASE budget amount, a district levy as provided in 20-9-303, and any additional financing as provided in 20-9-353 to determine any additional general fund levy requirements.

(2) The county superintendent shall calculate the number of mills to be levied on the taxable property in the district to finance the general fund levy requirement for any amount that does not exceed the BASE budget amount for the district by dividing the amount determined in subsection (1)(c) by the sum of:

(a) the amount of guaranteed tax base aid that the district will receive for each mill levied, as certified by the superintendent of public instruction; and

(b) the current total taxable valuation of the district, as certified by the department of revenue under 15-10-202, divided by 1,000.

(3) The net general fund levy requirement determined in subsections (1)(c) and (1)(d) must be reported to the county commissioners on the fourth Monday of August by the county superintendent as the general fund net levy requirement for the district, and a levy must be set by the county commissioners in accordance with 20-9-142.

(4) For each school district, the department of revenue shall calculate and report to the county superintendent the amount of revenue anticipated for the ensuing fiscal year from revenue from coal gross proceeds under 15-23-703 and property tax reimbursements under 15-1-111, 15-1-112, and section 167, Chapter 584, Laws of 1999."

Section 6. Section 20-9-141, MCA, is amended to read:

"20-9-141. Computation of general fund net levy requirement by county superintendent. (1) The county superintendent shall compute the levy requirement for each district's general fund on the basis of the following procedure:

(a) Determine the funding required for the district's final general fund budget less the sum of direct state aid and the special education allowable cost payment for the district by totaling:

(i) the district's nonisolated school BASE budget requirement to be met by a district levy as provided in 20-9-303; and

(ii) any general fund budget amount adopted by the trustees of the district under the provisions of 20-9-308 and 20-9-353, including any additional funding for a general fund budget that exceeds the maximum general fund budget.

(b) Determine the money available for the reduction of the property tax on the district for the general fund by totaling:

(i) the general fund balance reappropriated, as established under the provisions of 20-9-104;

(ii) actual amounts received in fiscal year 1999 for light vehicles under 61-3-504;

(iii) amounts received in the last fiscal year for which revenue reporting was required for each of the following:

(A) revenue from taxes and fees imposed under 23-2-517, 23-2-803, 61-3-521, 61-3-527, 61-3-529, and 67-3-204;

(B) interest earned by the investment of general fund cash in accordance with the provisions of 20-9-213(4); and

(C) any other revenue received during the school fiscal year that may be used to finance the general fund, excluding any guaranteed tax base aid;

(iv) anticipated tuition payments for out-of-district pupils under the provisions of 20-5-321 through 20-5-323, except the amount of tuition received for a pupil who is a child with a disability in excess of the amount received for a pupil without disabilities, as calculated under 20-5-323(2);

(v) anticipated oil and natural gas production taxes;

(vi) pursuant to subsection (4), anticipated revenue from coal gross proceeds under 15-23-703 ; and

(vii) anticipated revenue from corporation license taxes collected from financial institutions under the provisions of 15-31-702.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (2), subtract the money available to reduce the property tax required to finance the general fund that has been determined in subsection (1)(b) from any general fund budget amount adopted by the trustees of the district, up to the BASE budget amount, to determine the general fund BASE budget levy requirement.

(d) Subtract any amount remaining after the determination in subsection (1)(c) from any additional funding requirement to be met by an over-BASE budget amount, a district levy as provided in 20-9-303, and any additional financing as provided in 20-9-353 to determine any additional general fund levy requirements.

(2) The county superintendent shall calculate the number of mills to be levied on the taxable property in the district to finance the general fund levy requirement for any amount that does not exceed the BASE budget amount for the district by dividing the amount determined in subsection (1)(c) by the sum of:

(a) the amount of guaranteed tax base aid that the district will receive for each mill levied, as certified by the superintendent of public instruction; and

(b) the current total taxable valuation of the district, as certified by the department of revenue under 15-10-202, divided by 1,000.

(3) The net general fund levy requirement determined in subsections (1)(c) and (1)(d) must be reported to the county commissioners on the fourth Monday of August by the county superintendent as the general fund net levy requirement for the district, and a levy must be set by the county commissioners in accordance with 20-9-142.

(4) For each school district, the department of revenue shall calculate and report to the county superintendent the amount of revenue anticipated for the ensuing fiscal year from revenue from coal gross proceeds under 15-23-703 ."

Section 7. Section 20-9-306, MCA, is amended to read:

"20-9-306. (Temporary) Definitions. As used in this title, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions apply:

(1) "BASE" means base amount for school equity.

(2) "BASE aid" means:

(a) direct state aid for 41.1% of the basic entitlement and 41.1% of the total per-ANB entitlement for the general fund budget of a district; and

(b) guaranteed tax base aid for an eligible district for any amount up to 38.9% of the basic entitlement, up to 38.9% of the total per-ANB entitlement budgeted in the general fund budget of a district, and up to 40% of the special education allowable cost payment.

(3) "BASE budget" means the minimum general fund budget of a district, which includes 80% of the basic entitlement, 80% of the total per-ANB entitlement, and up to 140% of the special education allowable cost payment.

(4) "BASE budget levy" means the district levy in support of the BASE budget of a district, which may be supplemented by guaranteed tax base aid if the district is eligible under the provisions of 20-9-366 through 20-9-369.

(5) "BASE funding program" means the state program for the equitable distribution of the state's share of the cost of Montana's basic system of public elementary schools and high schools, through county equalization aid as provided in 20-9-331 and 20-9-333 and state equalization aid as provided in 20-9-343, in support of the BASE budgets of districts and special education allowable cost payments as provided in 20-9-321.

(6) "Basic entitlement" means:

(a) $200,000 for each high school district;

(b) $18,000 for each elementary school district or K-12 district elementary program without an approved and accredited junior high school or middle school; and

(c) the prorated entitlement for each elementary school district or K-12 district elementary program with an approved and accredited junior high school or middle school, calculated as follows:

(i) $18,000 times the ratio of the ANB for kindergarten through grade 6 to the total ANB of kindergarten through grade 8; plus

(ii) $200,000 times the ratio of the ANB for grades 7 and 8 to the total ANB of kindergarten through grade 8.

(7) "Direct state aid" means 41.1% of the basic entitlement and 41.1% of the total per-ANB entitlement for the general fund budget of a district and funded with state and county equalization aid.

(8) "Maximum general fund budget" means a district's general fund budget amount calculated from the basic entitlement for the district, the total per-ANB entitlement for the district, and up to 153% of special education allowable cost payments.

(9) "Over-BASE budget levy" means the district levy in support of any general fund amount budgeted that is above the BASE budget and below the maximum general fund budget for a district.

(10) "Total per-ANB entitlement" means the district entitlement resulting from the following calculations:

(a) for a high school district or a K-12 district high school program, a maximum rate of $4,821 for the first ANB is decreased at the rate of 50 cents per ANB for each additional ANB of the district up through 800 ANB, with each ANB in excess of 800 receiving the same amount of entitlement as the 800th ANB;

(b) for an elementary school district or a K-12 district elementary program without an approved and accredited junior high school or middle school, a maximum rate of $3,529 for the first ANB is decreased at the rate of 20 cents per ANB for each additional ANB of the district up through 1,000 ANB, with each ANB in excess of 1,000 receiving the same amount of entitlement as the 1,000th ANB; and

(c) for an elementary school district or a K-12 district elementary program with an approved and accredited junior high school or middle school, the sum of:

(i) a maximum rate of $3,529 for the first ANB for kindergarten through grade 6 is decreased at the rate of 20 cents per ANB for each additional ANB up through 1,000 ANB, with each ANB in excess of 1,000 receiving the same amount of entitlement as the 1,000th ANB; and

(ii) a maximum rate of $4,821 for the first ANB for grades 7 and 8 is decreased at the rate of 50 cents per ANB for each additional ANB for grades 7 and 8 up through 800 ANB, with each ANB in excess of 800 receiving the same amount of entitlement as the 800th ANB. (Terminates June 30, 2000--sec. 10, Ch. 211, L. 1999.)

20-9-306. (Effective July 1, 2000) Definitions. As used in this title, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions apply:

(1) "BASE" means base amount for school equity.

(2) "BASE aid" means:

(a) direct state aid for 43.3% of the basic entitlement and 43.3% of the total per-ANB entitlement for the general fund budget of a district; and

(b) guaranteed tax base aid for an eligible district for any amount up to 36.7% of the basic entitlement, up to 36.7% of the total per-ANB entitlement budgeted in the general fund budget of a district, and up to 40% of the special education allowable cost payment.

(3) "BASE budget" means the minimum general fund budget of a district, which includes 80% of the basic entitlement, 80% of the total per-ANB entitlement, and up to 140% of the special education allowable cost payment.

(4) "BASE budget levy" means the district levy in support of the BASE budget of a district, which may be supplemented by guaranteed tax base aid if the district is eligible under the provisions of 20-9-366 through 20-9-369.

(5) "BASE funding program" means the state program for the equitable distribution of the state's share of the cost of Montana's basic system of public elementary schools and high schools, through county equalization aid as provided in 20-9-331 and 20-9-333 and state equalization aid as provided in 20-9-343, in support of the BASE budgets of districts and special education allowable cost payments as provided in 20-9-321.

(6) "Basic entitlement" means:

(a) $200,000 for each high school district;

(b) $18,000 for each elementary school district or K-12 district elementary program without an approved and accredited junior high school or middle school; and

(c) the prorated entitlement for each elementary school district or K-12 district elementary program with an approved and accredited junior high school or middle school, calculated as follows:

(i) $18,000 times the ratio of the ANB for kindergarten through grade 6 to the total ANB of kindergarten through grade 8; plus

(ii) $200,000 times the ratio of the ANB for grades 7 and 8 to the total ANB of kindergarten through grade 8.

(7) "Direct state aid" means 43.3% of the basic entitlement and 43.3% of the total per-ANB entitlement for the general fund budget of a district and funded with state and county equalization aid.

(8) "Maximum general fund budget" means a district's general fund budget amount calculated from the basic entitlement for the district, the total per-ANB entitlement for the district, and up to 153% of special education allowable cost payments.

(9) "Over-BASE budget levy" means the district levy in support of any general fund amount budgeted that is above the BASE budget and below the maximum general fund budget for a district.

(10) "Total per-ANB entitlement" means the district entitlement resulting from the following calculations:

(a) for a high school district or a K-12 district high school program, a maximum rate of $4,869 for the first ANB is decreased at the rate of 50 cents per ANB for each additional ANB of the district up through 800 ANB, with each ANB in excess of 800 receiving the same amount of entitlement as the 800th ANB;

(b) for an elementary school district or a K-12 district elementary program without an approved and accredited junior high school or middle school, a maximum rate of $3,653 for the first ANB is decreased at the rate of 20 cents per ANB for each additional ANB of the district up through 1,000 ANB, with each ANB in excess of 1,000 receiving the same amount of entitlement as the 1,000th ANB; and

(c) for an elementary school district or a K-12 district elementary program with an approved and accredited junior high school or middle school, the sum of:

(i) a maximum rate of $3,653 for the first ANB for kindergarten through grade 6 is decreased at the rate of 20 cents per ANB for each additional ANB up through 1,000 ANB, with each ANB in excess of 1,000 receiving the same amount of entitlement as the 1,000th ANB; and

(ii) a maximum rate of $4,869 for the first ANB for grades 7 and 8 is decreased at the rate of 50 cents per ANB for each additional ANB for grades 7 and 8 up through 800 ANB, with each ANB in excess of 800 receiving the same amount of entitlement as the 800th ANB."

Section 8. Section 20-9-367, MCA, is amended to read:

"20-9-367. (Temporary) Eligibility to receive guaranteed tax base aid or state advance or reimbursement for school facilities. (1) If the district guaranteed tax base ratio of any elementary or high school district is less than the corresponding statewide elementary or high school guaranteed tax base ratio, the district may receive guaranteed tax base aid based on the number of mills levied in the district in support of up to 38.9% of the basic entitlement, up to 38.9% of the total per-ANB entitlement, and up to 40% of the special education allowable cost payment budgeted within the general fund budget.

(2) If the county retirement mill value per elementary ANB or the county retirement mill value per high school ANB is less than the corresponding statewide mill value per elementary ANB or high school ANB, the county may receive guaranteed tax base aid based on the number of mills levied in the county in support of the retirement fund budgets of the respective elementary or high school districts in the county.

(3) For the purposes of 20-9-370 and 20-9-371, if the district mill value per elementary ANB or the district mill value per high school ANB is less than the corresponding statewide mill value per elementary ANB or statewide mill value per high school ANB, the district may receive a state advance or reimbursement for school facilities in support of the debt service fund. (Terminates June 30, 2000--sec. 10, Ch. 211, L. 1999.)

20-9-367. (Effective July 1, 2000) Eligibility to receive guaranteed tax base aid or state advance or reimbursement for school facilities. (1) If the district guaranteed tax base ratio of any elementary or high school district is less than the corresponding statewide elementary or high school guaranteed tax base ratio, the district may receive guaranteed tax base aid based on the number of mills levied in the district in support of up to 36.7% of the basic entitlement, up to 36.7% of the total per-ANB entitlement, and up to 40% of the special education allowable cost payment budgeted within the general fund budget.

(2) If the county retirement mill value per elementary ANB or the county retirement mill value per high school ANB is less than the corresponding statewide mill value per elementary ANB or high school ANB, the county may receive guaranteed tax base aid based on the number of mills levied in the county in support of the retirement fund budgets of the respective elementary or high school districts in the county.

(3) For the purposes of 20-9-370 and 20-9-371, if the district mill value per elementary ANB or the district mill value per high school ANB is less than the corresponding statewide mill value per elementary ANB or statewide mill value per high school ANB, the district may receive a state advance or reimbursement for school facilities in support of the debt service fund."

Section 9. Section 20-9-368, MCA, is amended to read:

"20-9-368. (Temporary) Amount of guaranteed tax base aid. (1) The amount of guaranteed tax base aid per ANB that a county may receive in support of the retirement fund budgets of the elementary school districts in the county is the difference between the county mill value per elementary ANB and the statewide mill value per elementary ANB, multiplied by the number of mills levied in support of the retirement fund budgets for the elementary districts in the county.

(2) The amount of guaranteed tax base aid per ANB that a county may receive in support of the retirement fund budgets of the high school districts in the county is the difference between the county mill value per high school ANB and the statewide mill value per high school ANB, multiplied by the number of mills levied in support of the retirement fund budgets for the high school districts in the county.

(3) The amount of guaranteed tax base aid that a district may receive in support of up to 38.9% of the basic entitlement, up to 38.9% of the total per-ANB entitlement budgeted within the general fund budget, and up to 40% of the special education payment is calculated in the following manner:

(a) multiply the sum of the district's direct state aid and 40% of the special education allowable cost payment by the corresponding statewide guaranteed tax base ratio;

(b) subtract the taxable valuation of the district from the product obtained in subsection (3)(a); and

(c) divide the remainder by 1,000 to determine the equivalent to the dollar amount of guaranteed tax base aid for each mill levied.

(4) Guaranteed tax base aid provided to any county or district under this section is earmarked to finance the fund or portion of the fund for which it is provided. If a county or district receives more guaranteed tax base aid than it is entitled to, the excess must be returned to the state as required by 20-9-344. (Terminates June 30, 2000--sec. 10, Ch. 211, L. 1999.)

20-9-368. (Effective July 1, 2000) Amount of guaranteed tax base aid. (1) The amount of guaranteed tax base aid per ANB that a county may receive in support of the retirement fund budgets of the elementary school districts in the county is the difference between the county mill value per elementary ANB and the statewide mill value per elementary ANB, multiplied by the number of mills levied in support of the retirement fund budgets for the elementary districts in the county.

(2) The amount of guaranteed tax base aid per ANB that a county may receive in support of the retirement fund budgets of the high school districts in the county is the difference between the county mill value per high school ANB and the statewide mill value per high school ANB, multiplied by the number of mills levied in support of the retirement fund budgets for the high school districts in the county.

(3) The amount of guaranteed tax base aid that a district may receive in support of up to 36.7% of the basic entitlement, up to 36.7% of the total per-ANB entitlement budgeted within the general fund budget, and up to 40% of the special education payment is calculated in the following manner:

(a) multiply the sum of the district's BASE budget amount less direct state aid by the corresponding statewide guaranteed tax base ratio;

(b) subtract the taxable valuation of the district from the product obtained in subsection (3)(a); and

(c) divide the remainder by 1,000 to determine the equivalent to the dollar amount of guaranteed tax base aid for each mill levied.

(4) Guaranteed tax base aid provided to any county or district under this section is earmarked to finance the fund or portion of the fund for which it is provided. If a county or district receives more guaranteed tax base aid than it is entitled to, the excess must be returned to the state as required by 20-9-344."

Section 10. Section 167, Chapter 584, Laws of 1999, is amended to read:

"Section 167. Reimbursement to counties, cities, towns, and consolidated city-county governments for losses in revenue. (1) (a) The department of revenue shall determine the amount of tax and other revenue lost by each local government unit as a result of the enactment of House Bill No. 128, House Bill No. 174, House Bill No. 420, House Bill No. 658, Senate Bill No. 200, and Senate Bill No. 530 for fiscal year 2000 and for fiscal year 2001. The determination must be made by August 15, 1999, for fiscal year 2000, and by March 15, 2000, for fiscal year 2001. The department shall use fiscal year 1998 as its base year for each determination.

(b) As used in this section, "local government unit" means a county, city, or town capable of levying mills, consolidated city-county government, school district, miscellaneous district, or other local district that levies mills. The term does not include the state.

(c) The department shall determine the amount of tax and other revenue due each local government unit for fiscal year 1998 from the following sources:

(i) property taxes levied by each local government unit within each county or consolidated city-county government for fiscal year 1998, but excluding any mills levied by the state pursuant to 15-10-107, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-360, 20-25-439, and 53-2-813; and

(ii) oil and gas production taxes levied and distributed as provided for in Title 15, chapter 36.

(2) The department shall calculate for each local government unit for fiscal year 1998 the amount of tax and other revenue that would have been due each local government unit from the sources listed in subsection (1) if House Bill No. 128, House Bill No. 174, House Bill No. 420, House Bill No. 658, Senate Bill No. 200, and Senate Bill No. 530 had been in effect for fiscal year 1998.

(3) In making the calculation provided for in subsection (2), the department shall take into account any benefit to a local government unit that levied mills against electrical generation property in fiscal year 1998 from any increase in the assessed value of electrical generation property stemming from the sale of electrical generation assets subsequent to tax year 1997.

(4) (a) Each county, city, town, and consolidated city-county government that in aggregate lost tax revenue in a particular year, based on the difference between the calculation in subsections (1)(c) and (2), must receive the same percentage of the appropriation for local government reimbursements as the appropriation bears to the total amount of loss for all local government units in this state. Payments must be made in two similar installments for each fiscal year on or about December 15 and June 15. Each county, city, town, and consolidated city-county government is authorized to distribute the revenue received among its funds and districts according to the prior year's mill levies. Except as provided in subsection (4)(b), each tax increment financing district must receive the benefit of the reimbursement based on the loss to the incremental taxable value of the district.

(b) A tax increment financing district that consists of an industrial district created under 7-15-4299 may not receive any reimbursement under subsection (4)(a).

(5) The amount of loss calculated in subsection (2), converted to taxable value by multiplying by the applicable mill levy, must be added to the taxable value of taxing units to determine their bonding limits.

(6) (a) A charter form of local government that has a charter provision that prohibits an increase in the number of mills that may be levied to compensate for the loss of taxable value, as authorized in 15-10-420, is entitled to further reimbursement in addition to that computed under subsections (1) through (5) of this section.

(b) The amount of reimbursement is equal to the difference between the amount of the reimbursement calculated under subsections (1) through (5) and the amount of property tax imposed in tax year 1998. If the amount appropriated for the reimbursement under this subsection (6) is insufficient to fully fund all the jurisdictions entitled to reimbursement, the payments must be prorated to the jurisdictions. The payments must be made with the payments made under subsections (1) through (5)."

NEW SECTION. Section 11. Reimbursements to local government units. (1)(a) The department shall determine the amount of reimbursement received by each local government unit in fiscal year 2001 as a result of the enactment of section 167, Chapter 584, Laws of 1999, the amount of reimbursement received by each taxing jurisdiction in fiscal year 2001 under the provisions of 15-1-111, and the amount of reimbursement received by each local government taxing jurisdiction under 15-1-112, as those sections read on January 1, 2001.

(b) The department shall determine by March 15, 2001, for each local government unit that received a reimbursement under 15-1-111, 15-1-112, and section 167, Chapter 584, Laws of 1999, as those sections read on January 1, 2001, in fiscal year 2001 the ratio of the amount of the reimbursement received by the local government unit to the total amount of reimbursements received by all local government units in the state.

(2) For each fiscal year beginning after June 30, 2001, each local government unit must receive the same percentage of local government reimbursement as its reimbursement in fiscal year 2001 bears to the total amount of reimbursements in fiscal year 2001 to all local government units in this state. The amount available for reimbursement each fiscal year is determined pursuant to [section 12].

(3) Payments must be made in two similar installments for each fiscal year on December 15 and June 15. Each county, city, town, and consolidated city-county government is authorized to distribute the revenue received among its funds and districts according to current year mill levies.

NEW SECTION. Section 12. Policy and purpose -- general fund revenue sharing -- amount available for local government reimbursements. (1) It is the policy of the legislature to provide state general fund revenue sharing for local government units. The purpose of revenue sharing is to replace reimbursements to local government units previously provided pursuant to 15-1-111, 15-1-112, and section 167, Chapter 584, Laws of 1999, as those sections read on January 1, 2001.

(2) For each fiscal year beginning after June 30, 2001, the amount available for providing local government reimbursements under [section 11] is equal to 7.09% of general fund revenue received in the fiscal year immediately preceding the prior fiscal year.

(3) The amounts available for reimbursements under this section are statutorily appropriated, as provided in 17-7-502, from the general fund to reimburse local government units as provided in [section 11].

NEW SECTION. Section 13. Appropriation. (1) There is appropriated $5 million from the general fund to the office of public instruction for K-12 BASE aid for school districts for the school fiscal year beginning July 1, 2000.

(2) There is appropriated $5 million from the general fund to the office of public instruction for special education and associated guaranteed tax base aid costs for the school fiscal year beginning July 1, 2000.

NEW SECTION. Section 14. Repealer. Sections 15-1-111 and 15-1-112, MCA, are repealed.

NEW SECTION. Section 15. Codification instruction. [Sections 11 and 12] are intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 15, chapter 1, part 1, and the provisions of Title 15, chapter 1, part 1, apply to [sections 11 and 12].

NEW SECTION. Section 16. Effective dates. (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3), [this act] is effective on passage and approval.

(2) [Sections 11 and 12] are effective January 1, 2001.

(3) [Sections 4, 6, and 14] are effective July 1, 2001.

NEW SECTION. Section 17. Applicability. (1) [Section 3] applies retroactively, within the meaning of 1-2-109, to property tax years beginning after December 31, 1999.

(2) [Sections 7 through 9] apply to school budgets for school fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, 2000.

(3) [Sections 11 and 12] apply to reimbursements for fiscal years beginning after June 30, 2002.

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