The bill, introduced as Senate Bill No. 1, amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to update the statement of policy and the definition of "blighted area" for municipalities utilizing urban renewal powers, including tax increment financing. Key revisions emphasize that blighted areas pose risks to public health, safety, and welfare, and their elimination is a state concern. The definition of "blighted area" is refined to include specific detrimental characteristics such as advanced disrepair, inadequate infrastructure, and excessive vacancies, while outdated references to juvenile delinquency and infant mortality are removed.

Furthermore, the bill clarifies the conditions under which municipalities may exercise eminent domain for urban renewal projects, stipulating that property can only be acquired if it is classified as a blighted area. It explicitly prohibits the use of eminent domain to enhance government tax revenue and establishes that certain projects, like strip mining or open-pit mining of coal, do not qualify as public use, thus barring eminent domain for these activities. The act is effective immediately upon passage and will apply to municipal resolutions declaring a blighted area adopted after the effective date.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_1(1): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_1(2): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_1(3): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_1(4): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_1(5): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_1(6): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_1: 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_2(1): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_2(10): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_2(11): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_2(12): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_2(2): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_2(3): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_2(4): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_2(5): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_2(6): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_2(7): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_2(8): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_2(9): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_2: 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_3: 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X(1): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X(10): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X(11): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X(12): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X(13): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X(2): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X(3): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X(4): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X(5): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X(6): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X(7): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X(8): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X(9): 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102
SB0001_X: 7-15-4202, 7-15-4206, 7-15-4210, 7-15-4259, 70-30-102