Montana legislators have identified 27 topics they wish to study in depth during the interim between the 2007 and 2009 biennial sessions. The purpose of the studies is to help them decide whether new laws related to those topics are needed or desired.
The 2007 Legislature, meeting in regular and special session, passed five bills requiring specific studies. It also appropriated money in the state budget bill to conduct a sixth study.
The House and Senate also passed almost two dozen joint resolutions requesting interim studies. After the 2007 session, lawmakers were polled to determine which of those studies they most wanted to pursue given limited time, staff, and money.
As part of their duties to monitor state agencies, some interim committees also have elected to study policy issues not formally assigned to them by bill or resolution.
To read the legislation authorizing a particular study, click on the bill or resolution number. For schedules and agendas of committee meetings, click on the committee name. Look for live audio broadcasts of some committee meetings on this site. * * * * HB = House Bill HJR = Joint Resolution Initiated in the House SJR = Joint Resolution Initiated in the Senate
Studies Required by Statute
Local Special-purpose Districts
HB 49 required a study of local government special-purpose districts to determine whether more consistency, clarity and uniformity are needed in the laws governing them.
HB 488 required a study of the periodic revaluation of taxable property - particularly agricultural land, residential and commercial property, and forest lands, which are scheduled to be revalued by January 1, 2009.
HB 831 called in part for a review of drinking-water and effluent treatment standards in other jurisdictions and a recommendation of appropriate treatment standards for purposes of aquifer recharge and mitigation.
HB 2, passed during a special session in May 2007, appropriated $200,000 for a study to identify gaps in existing mental health services, determine whether additional funding resources for such services exist, and look for ways to improve collaboration among local, state, and federal agencies.
Based on the poll of legislators and recommendations of legislative staff, the Legislative Council chose to conduct 16 additional interim studies. In order of their priority, they are:
Health Insurance Reform
HJR 48 requested a study of health insurance reform and publicly funded health-care programs, such as Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Plan.
SJR 31 called for an examination of the viability of continuing to rely on property taxes to fund education, an examination of equalization of education funding through a statewide equalization district that could levy against specific classes of property, and a look into the use of a statewide sales tax and use tax to fund education in a way that would allow for permanent property-tax relief.
SJR 24 requested an assessment of prison population growth and treatment alternatives for certain nonviolent offenders, particularly those who have drug and/or alcohol addictions.
HJR 46 called for a comprehensive cleanup and clarification of election laws, including possible revisions to mail-ballot election laws to require or permit that all elections be conducted by mail ballot.
HJR 26 requested study and development of an implementation plan for mental health care for adults and youth in the criminal and juvenile justice systems.
HJR 59 authorized a study of public employee retirement systems and called for production of a legislator's guide to Montana public employee retirement plans that includes comparisons of plan designs and funding options.
SJR 15 requested a study of the impact of Montana's health-care delivery system, including physician-owned health-care facilities and specialty hospitals, on health-care services in Montana.
SJR 6 requested a study of the juvenile justice system to identify any gaps in the law or resources or between existing agencies with various responsibilities in the system.
HJR 61 requested an assessment of the conformity of Montana income tax laws with federal income tax laws and possible reorganization of provisions of state law.
HJR 39 authorized a study of the economic benefits of pursuing commercialization projects through existing research units within the Montana university system.
HJR 22 called for a study of loan repayment programs and other incentives to support access to dental care in the state, with an emphasis on access in rural areas.
The Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee has elected to examine methods and technologies for the capture, transportation, use and geological and terrestrial sequestration of carbon. It will also review the economic costs and benefits of carbon sequestration.
The Environmental Quality Council has elected to study climate change and its potential impacts on industry, public health, and the environment in Montana.
The State Administration and Veterans' Affairs Interim Committee has elected to examine and monitor the services provided to military personnel returning from Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq, as well as to their families. The committee will specifically look at mental-health services for veterans suffering from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and traumatic brain injuries.
The Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee has elected to evaluate the public power model, its potential operation in Montana, and what role the state could play in such a scenario.
