_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT revising laws related to the distribution of the montana code annotated in electronic format; providing that a state government agency is entitled to electronic copies of the montana code annotated at a reduced cost; AMENDING SECTION 5-11-209, MCA; and PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE."

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

Section 1. Section 5-11-209, MCA, is amended to read:

"5-11-209. Codes -- availability to legislators -- reserved for use by legislative committees -- state government employees. (1) When it becomes available after each regular legislative session, each legislator is entitled to purchase for $10 each one set of the printed and bound Montana Code Annotated statute text and histories. and A legislator is entitled to receive one electronic version of the Montana Code Annotated that is produced for sale to the public on computer-readable media, such as CD-ROM at no charge.

(2)        The legislative services division shall reserve 50 sets of the printed versions of Montana Code Annotated statute text and histories for the use of the standing and select committees of the legislature.

(3)        A state agency is entitled to order and receive electronic versions of the Montana Code Annotated on computer-readable media for use by state government employees for state work purposes at a cost that is commensurate with the royalty fee charged by a third-party vendor and any associated costs incurred by the legislative services division for administering deployment of the computer-readable media.

(3)(4)     Costs associated with providing code printed and bound sets and electronic versions of the Montana Code Annotated as required by this section must be paid out of the state special revenue fund account established under 1-11-301.

(5)        For the purposes of this section, "state agency" means a department, board, commission, office, bureau, or other public authority of state government."

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