The bill proposes significant revisions to the Big Sky Economic Development Program by removing local and tribal governments as eligible applicants and allowing businesses to apply directly. It eliminates requirements related to high-poverty counties and job creation, as well as the allocations for distributions to local or tribal governments and certified regional development corporations. Additionally, the bill introduces provisions for awards related to workforce activities and revises the statutory appropriation allocation.

Furthermore, the bill includes financial adjustments, such as transferring funds from the Microbusiness Finance Program Administrative Account and the Primary Sector Business Training Account to the Economic Development State Special Revenue Account. It also transfers defederalized economic development funds from the Department of Commerce to the same account. The sunset date on the Coal Severance Tax Trust Fund for the Big Sky Economic Development Program is extended, and the bill provides rulemaking authority while amending several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA).

Statutes affected:
HB0881_1.pdf: 17-5-703, 17-6-407, 17-6-409, 39-11-205, 90-1-201, 90-1-202, 90-1-203, 90-1-204, 90-1-205
HB0881_2.pdf: 17-5-703, 17-6-407, 17-6-409, 39-11-205, 90-1-201, 90-1-202, 90-1-203, 90-1-204, 90-1-205
HB0881_3.pdf: 17-5-703, 17-6-407, 17-6-409, 39-11-205, 90-1-201, 90-1-202, 90-1-203, 90-1-204, 90-1-205
Amended: 17-5-703, 17-6-407, 17-6-409, 39-11-205, 90-1-201, 90-1-202, 90-1-203, 90-1-204, 90-1-205
Introduced: 17-5-703, 17-6-407, 17-6-409, 39-11-205, 90-1-201, 90-1-202, 90-1-203, 90-1-204, 90-1-205