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Montana politics, elections and legislative news

Bill Proposes Giving Interim Committee Authority to Chose and Fund Public Works Projects

A pothole on a Billings street
Jackie Yamanaka
A pothole on a Billings street
A pothole on a Billings street
Credit Jackie Yamanaka
A pothole on a Billings street

A state senator from Kalispell is proposing a new process to pay for Montana’s public works projects.

Senate Bill 162 asks lawmakers for $40 million to go into a new fund. It authorizes the State Administration and Veterans’ Affairs interim committee to award those dollars for water, sewer, road and bridge projects.

“This is a little different than the normal way we do things around here,” said Senator Keith Regier, the bill’s sponsor. “You put money for infrastructure projects and those requests can come to the SAVA committee.”

That provision raised a legal concern that was submitted with the bill:  that the Montana Supreme Court has previously ruled that the Legislature cannot

Sen. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell
Sen. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell

delegate its authority to a legislative committee made up of less than the entire body. The sponsor disagrees.

Currently, communities apply to the Department of Commerce or the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, for example. The departments rank the projects and bring them to a joint Long Range Planning appropriations subcommittee to start the discussion.

The Senate Finance and Claims Committee did not immediately vote on SB 162.

There are numerous so-called infrastructure bills working their way through the legislative process, including House Bill 14 which is the Bullock Administration’s proposal.  The joint appropriations subcommittee on Long Range Planning is scheduled to take executive action on the following bills Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017:

  • HB 5 - Long range building appropriations
  • HB 6 - Renewable resource grants
  • HB 7 - Reclamation and development grants
  • HB 8 - Renewable resource bonds and loans
  • HB 9 - Cultural and aesthetic grants
  • HB 11 - Treasure state endowment program

Thursday, Feb 9, 2017:

  • HB 14 - Bonding program

Copyright 2017 Yellowstone Public Radio

Jackie Yamanaka
Jackie Yamanaka has been news director at YPR since 1986. From her home base in Billings, Jackie covers a wide range of issues across Montana and Wyoming. During the Montana Legislative session, she re-locates to the state Capitol in Helena where she has another office.
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