This bill proposes significant changes to the approval thresholds for bond and mill levy elections in Montana, specifically increasing the required percentage of electors needed to approve bond propositions from 40% to 50%. If the percentage of qualified electors voting falls between 40% and 50%, a higher threshold of 60% of votes cast in favor is required for approval. The bill also modifies the approval process for local government funding measures, replacing the previous requirement for a majority of electors voting with a more detailed calculation based on the percentage of qualified electors who participated in the election. These changes aim to streamline the election process and clarify the conditions under which local governments can impose taxes or issue bonds.

Additionally, the bill amends various sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to reflect these changes, including provisions related to school district financing, municipal bond issuance, and the establishment of building reserve and technology acquisition funds. It emphasizes the need for voter approval for significant projects and clarifies that obligations must indicate they are not secured by the district's taxing power. The bill also outlines the requirements for notifying voters about tax increases and establishes that propositions for building reserves and technology levies are approved if a majority of electors voting at the election approve them. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage and will apply to future elections.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 7-6-2512, 7-6-4431, 7-7-2237, 7-7-4235, 7-12-4244, 7-14-1134, 7-15-4218, 7-16-2102, 7-16-2109, 7-22-2142, 7-31-110, 7-32-235, 7-34-2414, 15-10-425, 20-9-353, 20-9-428, 20-9-471, 20-9-502, 20-9-533, 67-11-303, 76-15-506