House Bill No. introduced by S. Gist proposes to empower cities and towns in Montana to review and approve the design and construction of public water and sewer systems, as well as any extensions or alterations to these systems. To facilitate this process, the bill mandates that the city or town must employ or contract with a licensed professional engineer and establish appropriate review programs. The bill outlines that any review conducted must comply with various legal requirements, including the Montana Environmental Policy Act, real property takings requirements, and determinations of nondegradation and nonsignificance.

Additionally, the bill includes a codification instruction indicating that the new section regarding municipal review of public water and sewer construction is intended to be integrated into Title 75, chapter 6, part 1 of the Montana Code. This integration ensures that the provisions of Title 75, chapter 6, part 1, will apply to the newly established review process for public water and sewer systems.