Bill > HB515

This bill revises Montana's school facilities and technology funding laws by consolidating two state special revenue accounts and prioritizing their funding programs. The bill increases the school major maintenance amount from $15,000 to $40,000 and adjusts the multiplier from $110 to $115 per Average Number Belonging (ANB), effectively providing more money to school districts for major maintenance projects without raising property taxes. It creates a new school facility and technology account with a statutory appropriation of $1 million annually for school technology grants, which will be distributed to districts based on their BASE budget proportion. The bill also modifies how coal severance tax revenues are transferred, changing the frequency of transfers from monthly to annually and adjusting the transfer percentages to different funds. Additionally, the bill removes outdated language related to the natural resource development payment and allows this payment to support both school major maintenance aid and debt service assistance. The legislation aims to streamline school funding mechanisms, provide more stable and predictable funding for school facilities and technology, and ensure more efficient use of state resources.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1376