_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT ESTABLISHING A MILITARY STRATEGIC AND ECONOMIC IMPACT TASK FORCE CONCERNING RETENTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AND FORCE STRUCTURES TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN MONTANA; ALLOCATING THE TASK FORCE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES; PROVIDING FOR TASK FORCE MEMBERSHIP, EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT, AND DUTIES; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; and PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE."

WHEREAS, the Montana National Guard provides more than $158 million in economic impetus to the State of Montana, and the total federal economic impetus of the Montana Department of Military Affairs and the National Guard to the State of Montana is over $415 million; and

WHEREAS, Malmstrom Air Force Base provides more than $655 million in economic impetus to the State of Montana, airmen stationed at Malmstrom own over 1,200 homes in Montana, military construction and service contracts provide more than $53 million to local developers, the base spends more than $9.4 million for utilities, and Malmstrom services more than 7,500 miles of roads in Montana, which benefits Montana's commerce; and

WHEREAS, the federal sequestration, fiscal cliff, base realignment and closure activities, and other cost-cutting measures will put current military missions and assets in Montana and, therefore, Montana's economic well-being at risk, now and well into the future; and

WHEREAS, states with military missions and assets have formed statewide advocacy groups to help protect existing military force structures in their states, identify new missions, educate the public, and promote economic development tied to the military, and Montana is the last state to lack this statewide organization, which clearly affects Montana's ability to be successful as national cuts to the military are implemented.

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

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Montana military strategic and economic impact task force -- membership -- compensation -- duties. (1) (a) There is a Montana military strategic and economic impact task force consisting of seven voting members appointed by the governor on recommendation of the person or entities, if applicable, as provided in subsection (1)(b) and up to three nonvoting members appointed by the legislature. Each member must be a resident of the state.

(b) The voting members are:

(i) the adjutant general;

(ii) a member representing the business community as recommended by a statewide organization that represents Montana businesses;

(iii) a member representing the interests of the active duty military in the state as recommended by the state's highest active duty military commander or, in the absence of a recommendation from the commander, by the governing body of the county where the military has the highest economic impact in the state;

(iv) a member representing veterans of the armed forces;

(v) a member with knowledge about the employment challenges experienced by national guard and federal reserve service members as recommended by a statewide organization that advocates for service members and their employers;

(vi) a member representing the enlisted men and women of the armed forces as recommended by a statewide organization that represents the enlisted men and women of the armed forces; and

(vii) a member representing military and aerospace manufacturing in the state as recommended by a statewide organization that represents manufacturing businesses in the state.

(i) a state senator appointed by the president of the senate;

(ii) a state representative appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and

(iii) a state senator or state representative selected jointly by the minority leaders of the senate and the house of representatives if the senate and the house of representatives are controlled by the same party.

(2) (a) The task force shall elect a presiding officer from among its voting members. Task force meetings are subject to the open meetings laws provided in Title 2, chapter 3, part 2.

(b) The task force is allocated to the department of commerce for administrative purposes only as provided in 2-15-121, which shall provide staff and administrative support to the task force.

(3) The purpose of the task force is to:

(a) advocate for retention and development of military missions, installations, and force structures that provide economic development opportunities in the state and serve a role in the defense strategy of the nation; and

(b) educate the public, legislature, and congressional delegation about the economic and strategic impact of current and future military development in the state.

(4) In fulfilling its purpose under subsection (3), the task force shall:

(a) examine potential base realignment and closure actions;

(b) study the economic impact that the active and reserve component military missions and force structures in the state have on the state's economy and the strategic impact for the nation of those programs and assets;

(c) develop a strategic plan for how to position the state with respect to potential base realignment and closure actions so that the state has the best possible opportunity to retain and develop future military economic development opportunities and to play a role in the nation's strategy for national defense;

(d) provide regular updates on task force activities to the governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives;

(e) prepare reports and presentations consistent with its purpose and duties;

(f) lobby members of congress and act as a liaison with civilian and military personnel engaged in making decisions concerning current and potential military missions and active and reserve component force structures in the state; and

(g) work and coordinate with other local and state military advocacy organizations as necessary.

(5) Members are appointed to 4-year staggered terms. A legislative member may continue to serve for the 4 years even if the member's legislative term expires. A member appointed to fill a vacancy may serve only for the remainder of the previous member's term. A member may be reappointed.

(6) The task force shall formulate a budget and submit a copy of that budget to the state administration and veterans' affairs interim committee by December 31, 2021.

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Appropriation. There is appropriated from the general fund to the department of commerce:

(1) $250,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2023, to conduct the study described in [section 1(4)]; and

(2) $163,000 for each year of the biennium ending June 30, 2023, for the purposes of implementing [section 1].

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Implementation of staggered appointments. To implement the staggered appointment criteria established in [section 1(5)], the initial appointments of the following members of the Montana military strategic and economic impact task force must be for 2 years:

(1) the business community representative appointed under [section 1(1)(b)(ii)];

(2) the active duty liaison member appointed under [section 1(1)(b)(iii)]; and

(3) the employment challenges member appointed under [section 1(1)(b)(v)].

NEW SECTION. Section 4. Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 2, chapter 15, part 18, and the provisions of Title 2, chapter 15, part 18, apply to [section 1].

NEW SECTION. Section 5. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2021.