Bill > HJ40

This joint resolution requests the Legislative Council to designate an appropriate interim committee to conduct a comprehensive study on transferring the responsibility for producing fiscal notes from the executive branch to the legislative branch. Currently, under Montana law, the budget director is responsible for preparing fiscal notes for proposed legislation that may impact state or local revenues and expenditures. The resolution seeks to explore the potential benefits and drawbacks of shifting this fiscal note production responsibility to the legislative branch, noting that several other states already use legislative fiscal analysts for this purpose. The Legislative Services Division and Legislative Fiscal Division are authorized to provide administrative, research, legal, and fiscal analysis support for the study. The resolution mandates that all aspects of the study must be completed by September 15, 2026, and requires a full report of findings, conclusions, and recommendations to be presented to the 70th Legislature, thereby providing a structured approach to evaluating a potential significant change in the state's legislative fiscal note preparation process.

Government Affairs

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC4440