House Bill 483 seeks to amend Montana's school funding laws concerning property taxes, with a focus on alleviating the effects of property reappraisal on school funding. The bill mandates collaboration between the Office of Public Instruction and the Department of Revenue to assess these impacts. It establishes fixed amounts for state and county school equalization mills and vocational-technical education mills, while also clarifying that school levies will not be subject to certain existing regulations. Additionally, the bill proposes revisions to property tax relief mechanisms, including an increase in guaranteed tax base multipliers for fiscal year 2026 and enhanced reimbursement rates for school transportation to lower property taxes.

Key amendments include the deletion of specific reporting requirements and the introduction of new definitions related to school funding. The bill also clarifies the authority of county commissioners to levy taxes for educational funding and modifies the calculation procedures for levies. Furthermore, it establishes a technology acquisition and depreciation fund for districts, adjusts reimbursement rates for school transportation based on bus capacity, and outlines funding mechanisms for vocational-technical education. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage, with specific applicability dates for school district budgeting and funding distributions starting July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_1(1): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_1(2): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_1(3): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_1(4): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_1(5): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_1: 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(1): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(10): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(11): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(12): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(13): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(14): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(2): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(3): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(4): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(5): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(6): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(7): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(8): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2(9): 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_2: 15-7-111, 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_X(1): 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_X(2): 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_X(3): 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_X(4): 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_X(5): 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_X(6): 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_X(7): 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_X(8): 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403
HB0483_X: 15-10-420, 20-9-306, 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-336, 20-9-360, 20-9-366, 20-9-367, 20-9-368, 20-9-404, 20-9-525, 20-9-533, 20-10-141, 20-10-144, 20-10-145, 20-10-146, 20-25-439, 90-6-403