This bill revises the approval process for certain bond elections in Montana by establishing new thresholds for determining whether a bond proposition is approved or rejected. The current requirement of a simple majority of votes cast has been replaced with a more complex calculation based on the percentage of qualified electors who participate in the election. Specifically, if 40% or more of the qualified electors vote, the bond proposition is approved if a majority of those votes are in favor. If participation is between 30% and 40%, a higher threshold of 60% of favorable votes is required for approval. If participation is 30% or less, the proposition is automatically rejected.

Additionally, the bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to align with these new voting requirements, including provisions related to urban renewal plans and the issuance of bonds by municipalities and authorities. The amendments clarify that the approval of plans and bonds must follow the new voting criteria established in the bill. The act will apply to bond elections held on or after its effective date, which is set for January 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 7-7-4235, 7-15-4218, 7-31-110, 67-11-303, 76-15-506