Senate Bill No. introduced by J. Trebas seeks to revise Montana's property tax laws by adjusting tax rates for various property classes and updating local government levy limits. The bill allows local governments to levy mills equal to the 2025 mill levy plus an inflation adjustment. Key changes include a reduction in the tax rate for Class Two property from 3% to 1.65%, Class Three from 2.16% to 1.65%, and Class Five from 3% to 1.65%. Additionally, the tax rate for Class Four residential properties is modified from 1% to 1.25%. The bill also introduces new definitions and clarifies tax treatments for specific property types, including pollution control equipment and fiber optic installations, while establishing a process for tax abatements requiring public hearings.

Furthermore, the bill amends various sections of the Montana Code Annotated to update classifications and tax rates for energy production and storage facilities, including new classifications for energy storage systems and green hydrogen facilities. It modifies tax rates for several property classes, including Class fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen, reducing their tax percentages to 1.65%. The legislation emphasizes compliance with prevailing wage standards during construction and outlines the conditions under which tax exemptions may be terminated. Overall, the bill aims to incentivize investment in manufacturing and energy infrastructure while ensuring proper oversight in the tax exemption process, with new provisions taking effect 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