House Bill 55 revises Montana's public utility resource planning laws by establishing new timelines and requirements for public utilities to prepare and file integrated least-cost plans every three years. These plans must include comprehensive evaluations of cost-effective methods to meet customer service needs, forecasts, resource assessments, and competitive solicitation processes for energy resources. The bill introduces an independent evaluator to oversee the solicitation process, ensuring transparency and fairness, and outlines the evaluator's responsibilities, including monitoring bid evaluations and preparing public closing reports. Additionally, it amends the Montana Code Annotated by removing a special revenue account provision and increasing the number of public meetings a utility must hold from two to four prior to plan submission.

The bill also sets forth guidelines for the approval of electricity supply resources by the commission, allowing it to approve or deny applications based on public interest and regulatory consistency. It mandates cost-effective carbon offsets for facilities primarily using natural or synthetic gas and requires new coal-fueled facilities constructed after January 1, 2007, to capture and sequester at least 50% of their carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, it includes a $200,000 appropriation from the general fund to support the public service commission in implementing these new requirements, with a stipulation that certain sections will be void if the appropriation is not included. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and will be codified as part of Title 69, chapter 3, part 12 of the Montana Code Annotated.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_1(1): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_1(2): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_1(3): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_1(4): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_1(5): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_1(6): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_1(7): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_1(8): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_1: 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(1): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(10): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(11): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(12): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(13): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(14): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(15): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(16): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(17): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(18): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(19): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(2): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(20): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(21): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(22): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(23): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(24): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(25): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(3): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(4): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(5): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(6): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(7): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(8): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2(9): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_2: 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(1): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(10): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(11): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(12): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(13): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(14): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(15): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(16): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(17): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(18): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(2): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(3): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(4): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(5): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(6): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(7): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(8): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3(9): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_3: 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_X(1): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_X(10): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_X(2): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_X(3): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_X(4): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_X(5): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_X(6): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_X(7): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_X(8): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_X(9): 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421
HB0055_X: 69-1-114, 69-3-1204, 69-3-1205, 69-3-1207, 69-3-1208, 69-8-421