House Bill No. [insert bill number] seeks to reform school funding in Montana by introducing a countywide levy aimed at enhancing funding equalization across school districts. The bill proposes to replace the existing guaranteed-tax-base-aid-supported school district base levy with this new countywide levy, which will support the base budgets of school districts. It also aims to reduce required tuition payments in accordance with the new levy and revises the use of various non-levy revenue sources for school district general fund budgets. Key amendments include the transition from district guaranteed tax base aid to county guaranteed tax base aid, the requirement for remitted tax increments to be used for property tax reduction or as an operating reserve, and the repeal of a provision allowing school districts to waive their right to protested taxes.

Additionally, the bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to update the responsibilities of school district trustees, district clerks, and county officials in relation to the new funding structure. It introduces new language for calculating BASE budget revenue requirements separately for elementary and high school programs, modifies the tuition payment structure for out-of-district students, and clarifies the duties of county treasurers in managing school funds. The bill also establishes a school equalization and property tax reduction account, revises definitions related to guaranteed tax base aid, and sets a timeline for full implementation by fiscal year 2027. Overall, the bill aims to enhance financial accountability and operational efficiency in the management of school district funds while providing more equitable funding across the state.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_1(1): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_1(2): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_1(3): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_1(4): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_1(5): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_1(6): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_1(7): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_1: 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_2(1): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_2(2): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_2(3): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_2(4): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_2(5): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_2(6): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_2(7): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_2(8): 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515
HB0156_2: 7-15-4291, 15-1-402, 20-3-209, 20-3-324, 20-5-323, 20-5-324, 20-6-702, 20-9-101, 20-9-104, 20-9-131, 20-9-141, 20-9-212, 20-9-235, 20-9-306, 20-9-308, 20-9-310, 20-9-336, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-369, 20-9-515