Senate Bill No. introduced by G. Hertz seeks to revise short-term rental laws in Montana by classifying short-term rentals as a residential use of property, rather than a commercial use. The bill establishes that short-term rentals are allowed unless specifically prohibited by zoning regulations. It mandates that any restrictions on short-term rentals must be justified based on public safety, health, and welfare. Additionally, the bill expands the definition of "short-term rental" to include multifamily dwelling units and clarifies that property owners can rent out their primary residences even in areas where short-term rentals are restricted.

Key changes include the requirement that existing short-term rentals complying with state licensing and tax laws at the time of new regulations will be deemed legal nonconforming uses. The definition of "primary residence" is modified to require occupancy for at least seven months of the year, replacing the previous 183-day requirement. The bill also prohibits zoning regulations from imposing fees or property dedications for housing targeted at specific income levels, and it requires governing bodies to provide justification for any restrictions on short-term rentals. Furthermore, it modifies the public hearing process for zoning regulations to ensure that proposed restrictions are supported by necessary findings, and it includes provisions for retroactive applicability to existing covenants and homeowners' association bylaws regarding short-term rentals.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_1(1): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_1(2): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_1(3): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_1(4): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_1(5): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_1: 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2(1): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2(10): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2(11): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2(12): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2(13): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2(2): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2(3): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2(4): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2(5): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2(6): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2(7): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2(8): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2(9): 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303
SB0336_2: 15-68-101, 76-2-104, 76-2-203, 76-2-303, 76-25-303