_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the Legislative Finance Committee

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT MAKING PERMANENT THE INTERIM BUDGET COMMITTEES; EXEMPTING THOSE COMMITTEES FROM INTERIM STUDY ASSIGNMENTS; AMENDING SECTIONS 5-12-301 AND 5-12-501, MCA; REPEALING SECTION 12, CHAPTER 525, LAWS OF 2021; and PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE."

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

Section 1. Section 5-12-301, MCA, is amended to read:

"5-12-301. Legislative fiscal division. There is a legislative fiscal division. The legislative fiscal analyst shall manage the legislative fiscal division to support the legislative finance committee and the interim budget committees identified in 5-12-501 and carry out the provisions of this chapter."

Section 2. Section 5-12-501, MCA, is amended to read:

"5-12-501. (Temporary) Interim budget committees. (1) During an interim when the legislature is not in session, the committees listed in subsection (2) are the interim budget committees of the legislature. They are empowered to sit as committees and may act in their respective areas of responsibility.

(2)        The following are the interim budget committees of the legislature:

(a)        general government budget committee to oversee the budget activities of the department of administration, department of military affairs, department of commerce, state auditor's office, governor's office, secretary of state, commissioner of political practices, department of revenue, department of labor and industry, legislative branch, and consumer counsel;

(b)        health and human services budget committee to oversee the budget activities of the department of public health and human services;

(c)        natural resources and transportation budget committee to oversee the budget activities of the department of livestock, department of environmental quality, department of agriculture, department of natural resources and conservation, department of transportation, and department of fish, wildlife, and parks;

(d)        judicial branch, law enforcement, and justice budget committee to oversee the budget activities of the judicial branch, department of justice, public service regulation, office of state public defender, and department of corrections; and

(e)        education budget committee to oversee budget activities related to the Montana arts council, Montana historical society, board of public education, office of public instruction, school for the deaf and blind, Montana state library, and commissioner of higher education; and

(f)         long-range planning budget committee to oversee the budget activities related to long-range program implementation issues considered by the subcommittee during the session.

(3)        An interim budget committee may refer an issue to an interim committee provided for in 5-5-202 that the referring committee determines to be more appropriate for the consideration of the issue.

(4)        If there is a dispute between interim committees and an interim budget committee as to which committee has proper jurisdiction over a subject, the legislative council and legislative finance committee shall consult and determine the most appropriate committee and assign the subject to that committee.

(5)        Interim budget committees may not be assigned interim studies pursuant to 5-5-217. (Terminates December 31, 2025--sec. 12, Ch. 525, L. 2021.)"

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Repealer. Section 12, Chapter 525, Laws of 2021, is repealed.

NEW SECTION. Section 4. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.