The bill appropriates $500,000 from state special revenue funds to the Department of Commerce for the purpose of paving Lost Creek Road leading to Lost Creek State Park. This funding is contingent upon Anaconda-Deer Lodge County providing a matching grant of $500,000 and managing the project from design through construction. The bill outlines specific conditions for the appropriation, including the requirement for a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Commerce and the county by July 1, 2023. Additionally, if project costs exceed $1 million, the county will be responsible for any cost overruns, and the project may be scaled back or terminated if bids exceed this amount.

The bill also amends existing legal language regarding the distribution of tax proceeds, allowing allocations to the Department of Commerce to be used for improving access to state parks. It modifies the distribution of tax proceeds to include funding for roads into state parks and specifies that the Department of Commerce will pay Anaconda-Deer Lodge County half of the acceptable bid for the project, not to exceed $500,000. The bill establishes effective dates for its provisions, with certain sections becoming effective on July 1, 2023, and includes a termination date for specific provisions on June 30, 2025.

Statutes affected:
HB0375_1.pdf: 23-1-105
HB0375_2.pdf: 23-1-105
Amended: 23-1-105
Introduced: 23-1-105