House Bill No. introduced by B. Barker, T. Running Wolf, E. Tilleman, and S. Gist aims to increase the amount statutorily appropriated for emergencies and expand the uses of this appropriation for disaster and emergency services. The bill amends Section 10-3-312 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to raise the maximum expenditure by the governor from $16 million to $20 million in any biennium, while also allowing the Department of Military Affairs to utilize up to $2 million each year of the biennium for disaster and emergency services without a governor's declaration. This funding can be allocated for personal services related to responding to emergencies, disaster planning, and financial management of disaster programs.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that if a disaster is declared by the President of the United States, the governor can expend up to $500,000 from the general fund for individuals and households grant programs. At the end of each biennium, any unexpended balance of the appropriation will be transferred to the fire suppression account. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 10-3-312
HB0334_1(1): 10-3-312
HB0334_1(10): 10-3-312
HB0334_1(11): 10-3-312
HB0334_1(12): 10-3-312
HB0334_1(2): 10-3-312
HB0334_1(3): 10-3-312
HB0334_1(4): 10-3-312
HB0334_1(5): 10-3-312
HB0334_1(6): 10-3-312
HB0334_1(7): 10-3-312
HB0334_1(8): 10-3-312
HB0334_1(9): 10-3-312
HB0334_1: 10-3-312
HB0334_2(1): 10-3-312
HB0334_2(10): 10-3-312
HB0334_2(2): 10-3-312
HB0334_2(3): 10-3-312
HB0334_2(4): 10-3-312
HB0334_2(5): 10-3-312
HB0334_2(6): 10-3-312
HB0334_2(7): 10-3-312
HB0334_2(8): 10-3-312
HB0334_2(9): 10-3-312
HB0334_2: 10-3-312