_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT affirming legislative intent for the historical society to fund exhibits and exhibit areas; and prohibiting the appropriation of public funds for certain programs and wages."

WHEREAS, Article IX, section 4, of the Montana Constitution provides: "The legislature shall provide for the identification, acquisition, restoration, enhancement, preservation, and administration of scenic, historic, archeologic, scientific, cultural, and recreational areas, sites, records and objects, and for their use and enjoyment by the people"; and

WHEREAS, the funding of exhibits and exhibition areas for the Montana Historical Society are not the duty of the Legislature.

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

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Historical society -- funding -- prohibition of public funds for certain activities. (1) The legislature shall appropriate public funds for the maintenance and preservation of records, objects, art, or artifacts in the possession of the historical society and for the maintenance of the Montana heritage center.

(2)        The legislature may not appropriate public funds to the historical society for the following:

(a)        programs that are interactive with the public; or

(b)        wages for those employees who do not directly preserve or maintain records, objects, art, or artifacts in the possession of the historical society, except for the director and the deputy director of the historical society.

(3)        It is the intent of the legislature that the items listed in subsection (2) be paid for with private funds, including but not limited to donations, grants, and fundraising.

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 22, chapter 3, part 1, and the provisions of Title 22, chapter 3, part 1, apply to [section 1].