Senate Bill No. 1 revises the definition of "blighted area" for municipalities utilizing urban renewal powers, including tax increment financing, by amending several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA). The bill establishes that blighted areas are those that harm public health, safety, and welfare, contributing to crime and economic decline. New language emphasizes the importance of using tax increment financing to promote the development or redevelopment of these areas. The updated criteria for defining a blighted area now include characteristics such as significant disrepair of buildings, inadequate infrastructure, and high vacancy rates, while outdated references to juvenile delinquency have been removed.

Furthermore, the bill clarifies the use of eminent domain in urban renewal projects, stipulating that property can only be acquired if it meets the revised definition of a blighted area. It also specifies that reservoir sites must demonstrate a public use that is the highest and best use of the land, which must be validated by the district court. Additionally, projects involving strip mining or open-pit mining of coal are explicitly excluded from qualifying as public use for eminent domain purposes. The act will take effect immediately upon passage and approval, applying to municipal resolutions declaring blighted areas 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