Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] proposes significant changes to vehicle registration fees in Montana, introducing a new assessment fee based on the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the first year of registration for certain vehicles. The bill establishes a fee structure for light vehicles with an MSRP exceeding $150,000, which will incur an additional fee of $825 for the first year and 1% of the MSRP for subsequent years until the vehicle is 11 years old. It also creates new state special revenue accounts to allocate collected fees for services related to victims of crime and grants for local government bridge projects. The bill repeals Section 61-3-111 and amends Sections 44-1-504, 61-3-112, and 61-3-321 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA).

Additionally, the bill outlines a new framework for managing funds within the state, particularly regarding the general fund and special revenue accounts. It specifies that for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, the Department of Justice must deposit a portion of the fiscal year-end balance into the general fund, with provisions for inflation adjustments to the MSRP for certain vehicle categories starting January 1, 2027. The bill also establishes the "victims of crime state special revenue account" and the "better local bridge fund account," which will receive funds from specific revenue sources, including a mandated transfer of $50 million from the general fund to the better local bridge fund account by June 30, 2025. Most provisions of the bill are set to take effect on January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_1(1): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_1(2): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_1(3): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_1(4): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_1(5): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_1(6): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_1: 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(1): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(10): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(11): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(12): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(13): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(14): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(2): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(3): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(4): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(5): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(6): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(7): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(8): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2(9): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_2: 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_3(1): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_3(2): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_3(3): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_3(4): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_3(5): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_3(6): 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321
SB0324_3: 44-1-504, 61-3-112, 61-3-321