Bill > HB127

This bill revises the laws related to Montana's fire suppression account, making several key changes to how the account is managed and funded. The bill removes specific date references for statutory appropriations and establishes new reporting requirements for the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Specifically, the bill modifies the existing statute to allow up to 0.5% of general revenue appropriations to be used annually for fire preparedness, removes a specific biennium reference, and requires the department to report annually by November 1st on expenditures made under various subsections of the fire suppression account. The account can be used for purposes such as fire suppression costs, fuel reduction, forest restoration, grants for fire suppression equipment, forest management projects, support for collaborative groups, road maintenance on federal lands, and fire preparedness. The bill also maintains existing provisions about fund transfers, including rules about transferring money from the general fund to the fire suppression account based on the general fund's ending balance. The legislation will take effect immediately upon passage and approval, providing more flexibility and transparency in managing fire-related resources and expenditures.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0950