House Bill No. introduced by J. Fitzpatrick and others aims to revise the process for awarding grants for cultural and aesthetic projects in Montana. The bill establishes specific criteria for the Cultural and Aesthetic Projects Advisory Committee to prioritize grant applications based on the applicant's previous grant history and the size of their annual operating budget. The committee will rank applicants, giving first priority to those who have not received prior awards and adjusting budget limits for inflation between funding cycles.

Additionally, the bill provides an exception for grant applicants whose total program budget does not exceed $100,000 and who do not utilize federal funds, allowing them to request a waiver from the requirement to obtain a federal system for award management number (SAMs number). The bill also amends Section 22-2-302 of the Montana Code Annotated to clarify the committee's powers and duties, ensuring that their recommendations to the legislature are advisory. Overall, the bill seeks to streamline the grant application process and make it more accessible for smaller projects.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 22-2-302
HB0757_1(1): 22-2-302
HB0757_1(2): 22-2-302
HB0757_1(3): 22-2-302
HB0757_1(4): 22-2-302
HB0757_1(5): 22-2-302
HB0757_1: 22-2-302