This bill aims to revise conflict of interest laws concerning local government contracts in Montana, specifically prohibiting contracts with individuals or entities involved in the design or engineering of a primary project. It establishes that county and municipal governing bodies cannot award construction contracts to contractors who have a financial interest or ownership connection with those who participated in the project's design or oversight. The bill also provides a definition of "financial interest" and outlines exceptions for certain types of ownership, such as mutual funds and government securities.

Additionally, the bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to incorporate these conflict of interest provisions. Key amendments include changes to the bidding requirements for municipal contracts, ensuring that contracts cannot be issued in violation of the new conflict of interest regulations. The bill also clarifies that the governing bodies must adhere to competitive bidding processes while reinforcing the prohibition against awarding contracts to those with conflicts of interest. Overall, the legislation seeks to enhance transparency and integrity in local government contracting processes.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 7-3-1323, 7-5-2301, 7-5-4301, 7-14-2404