Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] proposes significant revisions to the regulations governing conservation easements in Montana. The bill limits the duration of conservation easements to a maximum of 40 years, with a minimum term of 15 years. It also prohibits any restrictions on agricultural activities for land currently in use for agricultural production and prevents the conversion of land under easement to federal control. Additionally, the bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to reflect these changes, including the definitions of conservation easements and the purposes of the chapter, while also clarifying the taxation of properties subject to such easements.

Key amendments include the removal of the option for easements to be granted in perpetuity, thus ensuring that all conservation easements are time-limited. The bill also introduces new provisions regarding the assessment of property taxes for land under conservation easements, ensuring that the assessed value cannot be less than the actual assessed value from 1973. Furthermore, the bill mandates that the Secretary of State notify federally recognized tribal governments in Montana about the new regulations and specifies that these changes will apply to conservation easements entered into on or after October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 76-6-103, 76-6-104, 76-6-202, 76-6-203, 76-6-208
SB0209_1(1): 76-6-103, 76-6-104, 76-6-202, 76-6-203, 76-6-208
SB0209_1(2): 76-6-103, 76-6-104, 76-6-202, 76-6-203, 76-6-208
SB0209_1(3): 76-6-103, 76-6-104, 76-6-202, 76-6-203, 76-6-208
SB0209_1(4): 76-6-103, 76-6-104, 76-6-202, 76-6-203, 76-6-208
SB0209_1: 76-6-103, 76-6-104, 76-6-202, 76-6-203, 76-6-208