Bill > HB12

This bill appropriates $5,918,092 from the historic preservation grant program account to the Montana Department of of Commerce for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, to fund a wide range of historic preservation projects across the state. The bill provides detailed funding for over 50 specific projects, including renovations and preservation efforts for museums, schools, churches, theaters, government buildings, and other historically significant structures in various Montana communities. Each project is assigned a specific grant amount, with funding ranging from as little as $10,000 to as much as $500,000. The bill establishes several key conditions for grant recipients, including documenting matching funds, developing an approved project management plan, maintaining proper financial accounting, and executing a grant agreement with the Department of Commerce. Grant funds will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis, and recipients must complete all project conditions by September 30, 2026, or risk losing their funding. If a grant recipient fails to enter into a contract with a qualified contractor by September 30 of the even-numbered year preceding the next legislative session, their funding may be reverted back to the grant program account. The bill also includes a provision that grant recipients are fully responsible for any project cost overruns, and no supplemental appropriations will be granted to complete projects.

Budget and Finance

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/20251/LC0717