Senate Bill No. introduced by J. Trebas seeks to revise property tax laws in Montana by adjusting tax rates for various property classes and updating local government levy limits. Key changes include reducing the taxable percentage for Class Two, Three, and Five properties to 1.65%, while Class Four residential property tax rates are increased from 1% to 1.25%. The bill also introduces new definitions for terms like "duplex" and "owner-occupied," and clarifies the classification and taxation of agricultural, commercial, and industrial properties. Notably, it exempts air and water pollution control and carbon capture equipment placed in service after January 1, 2014, from taxation, and establishes a new tax rate of 1.65% for Class Nine and Twelve properties, previously taxed at 12%.

Additionally, the bill outlines a process for taxpayers to apply for tax abatements, requiring public hearings and decisions within 120 days, with automatic approval if the governing body fails to act. It also introduces new classifications for energy production and storage facilities, including green hydrogen assets, which will be taxed at a reduced rate of 1.65% of market value. The bill modifies the tax rates for various classes of properties, including a phased-out exemption for manufacturing machinery installed after December 31, 2022, and establishes criteria for certification of transmission lines and carbon sequestration equipment. Overall, the bill aims to incentivize renewable energy development while ensuring proper classification and taxation of these facilities, with changes effective for property tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_1(1): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_1(2): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_1(3): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_1(4): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_1(5): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_1(6): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_1(7): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_1: 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(1): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(10): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(11): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(12): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(13): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(14): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(15): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(16): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(17): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(2): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(3): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(4): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(5): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(6): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(7): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(8): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2(9): 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420
SB0032_2: 15-6-132, 15-6-133, 15-6-134, 15-6-135, 15-6-137, 15-6-138, 15-6-141, 15-6-145, 15-6-156, 15-6-157, 15-6-158, 15-6-159, 15-6-162, 15-6-163, 15-10-420