House bill NO. 523

INTRODUCED BY M. Yakawich

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT REQUIRING TRANSPARENCY OF RECIPIENTS AND AMOUNTS PAID FROM EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUNDS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE and a termination date.

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

Section 1. Transparency reporting of emergency rental assistance program funds. (1) Each quarter, the department of commerce shall provide a list of recipients that have received funds from the emergency rental assistance program.

(2)        The list must identify the amount of funds each recipient has received in the last quarter as well as the total amount of funds the recipient has received from the emergency rental assistance program.

(3)        The list must also identify any recipient the department of commerce has taken legal action against to collect ineligible or overpayment of emergency rental assistance funds.

(4)        The list must be posted on the state's American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 website at https://arpa.mt.gov in a prominent location and must remain on the website as long as the website exists.

(5)        As used in this section, "recipient" means a business, property management company, or landlord.

(6)        Any information produced in compliance with this section may not directly or indirectly disclose confidential or personally identifiable information of participants of the emergency rental assistance program. Prior to publishing any information in compliance with this section, the department of commerce must ensure compliance with state and federal data privacy and security laws.

Section 2. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2023.

Section 3. Termination. [This act] terminates December 31, 2023.