House Bill No. [insert number] proposes a tax credit for nonpublic school education expenses, aimed at providing financial relief to families who choose nonpublic education options such as private schools or homeschooling. The bill defines various terms related to educational expenses, including "additional expenses," "extracurricular activity fee," and "nonpublic education setting." It establishes eligibility criteria for taxpayers to claim the credit, which is set at the lesser of the nonpublic school education expenses paid or 44.7% of the applicable per-ANB maximum rate. The bill also outlines the process for noncustodial parents to claim the credit under specific conditions and grants rulemaking authority to the Department of Public Instruction to implement the credit.

Additionally, the bill amends Section 15-30-2303 of the Montana Code Annotated to include the new tax credit for nonpublic school education expenses among those subject to review by the interim committee. The legislation includes provisions for codification and specifies that it will apply to income tax years beginning after December 31, 2025. The intent of the bill is to support families with educational expenses outside the traditional public school system, thereby promoting educational choice in Montana.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 15-30-2303
HB0209_1(1): 15-30-2303
HB0209_1(2): 15-30-2303
HB0209_1(3): 15-30-2303
HB0209_1(4): 15-30-2303
HB0209_1(5): 15-30-2303
HB0209_1(6): 15-30-2303
HB0209_1: 15-30-2303