_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT GENERALLY REVISING THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE; MODIFYING THE DUTIES OF THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE; REQUIRING THE CONCURRENCE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REGARDING EMPLOYMENT OF THE FISCAL ANALYST; REQUIRING THE PRESIDING OFFICER TO REPRESENT THE MAJORITY PARTY; AMENDING SECTIONS 5-12-203 AND 5-12-205, MCA; and PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE."

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

Section 1. Section 5-12-203, MCA, is amended to read:

"5-12-203. Term -- officers -- compensation. (1) Appointments are for 2 years, and a member of the committee shall serve until the member's term of office as a legislator ends or until a successor is appointed, whichever occurs first.

(2) (a) The Subject to subsection (2)(b), the committee shall elect one of its members as presiding officer and other officers that it considers necessary.

(b) The presiding officer must be from the majority party.

(3) Members of the committee are entitled to receive compensation and expenses as provided in 5-2-302."

Section 2. Section 5-12-205, MCA, is amended to read:

"5-12-205. Powers and duties of committee. The committee:

(1) may organize, adopt rules to govern its proceedings, form subcommittees, and meet as often as necessary, upon the call of the presiding officer, to advise and consult with the legislative fiscal analyst;

(2) may employ and, in accordance with the rules for classification and pay adopted by the legislative council and with the concurrence of the legislative council, employ and set the salary of the legislative fiscal analyst. The legislative fiscal analyst shall serve serves at the pleasure of and with the concurrence of the legislative council. and be The legislative fiscal analyst is responsible for providing services to the committee.

(3) may exercise the investigatory powers of a standing committee under chapter 5, part 1, of this title;

(4) shall monitor the information technology policies of the department of administration with specific attention to:

(a) identification of information technology issues likely to require future legislative attention; and

(b) the evaluation of proposed information technology policy changes and the fiscal implications of the proposed changes and shall provide written responses to the department of administration communicating the committee's positions and concerns on proposed policy changes;

(5) may accumulate, compile, analyze, and provide information relevant to existing or proposed legislation on how information technology can be used to impact the welfare of the state;

(6) may prepare legislation to implement any proposed changes involving information technology; and

(7) shall, before each regular and special legislative session involving budgetary matters, prepare recommendations to the house appropriations committee and the senate finance and claims committee on the application of certain budget issues. At a minimum, the recommendations must include procedures for the consistent application during each session of inflation factors, the allocation of fixed costs, and the personal services budget. The committee may also make recommendations on other issues of major concern in the budgeting process, such as estimating the cost of implementing particular programs based upon present law; and

(8) may, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2019, appoint up to six ad hoc nonvoting committee members from the house of representatives. These members may participate in meetings but may not vote."

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.