Montana House District 55 Legislative Update
February 26, 2025
By Representative Brad Barker (Montana House District 55)
As of Monday evening, February 24th, we have just finished Legislative Day 38 after conducting a session on Saturday as well. 741 bills and resolutions have been introduced in the House and 493 in the Senate. 433 bills have passed to the second chamber.
Education
Over the past week, I had five bill hearings in committees. The House Education Committee heard my House Bill (HB) 567 which provides an increase in quality educator pay (QEP) for teachers if all school districts in a county enter into resource-sharing agreements to achieve efficiencies to save taxpayers money. The committee also heard my HB 606 providing the tools for school districts to join with other non-like districts through reorganization while maintaining board seats instead of using the annexation process to be absorbed.
Trash
The House Energy, Technology and Federal Relations heard my two bills, HB 517 and 518, to revise laws related to class D motor carriers (trash haulers). HB 517 clarifies who can apply for a license to increase competition from start-ups. HB 518 improves transparency by requiring public hearings prior to denial for applications that meet all required criteria.
Taxation
HB 507 is a 2026 ballot initiative to allow voters to add additional restrictions to the 4% sales tax cap that is already in the Montana Constitution. I’ve proposed adding, “Sales tax revenue, minus administrative costs, must be used solely to reduce property taxes for public schools and the Montana university system. Other uses require a three-fourths vote of the members of each house of the legislature.” This proposed Constitutional Amendment would not implement a sales tax. It simply adds taxpayer protection if it is implemented.
A separate, but complimentary 2026 ballot initiative that is still in draft, LC 3575, would ask voters to give the legislature guidance on whether or not to use a 4% sales tax to provide around $1.3 billion in property tax relief. Under the proposal, sales tax would replace the State’s 95 mill levy for K-12 equalization funding, the State’s 6 mills for the Montana University System and the almost $750 million remainder to replace some of the local levies in each district. The ballot initiative also includes sales tax exemptions on housing, utilities, fuel, household groceries, and health care. Montana voters can decide if we should shift tax policy, in part, in recognition of the loss of revenue from natural resources and the increase in revenue from tourism.
Three leading proposals for property tax relief in the near-term HB 231, HB 155 and HB 154 passed out of the Appropriations Committee and should be heard on the House floor later this week.
Judicial
House Judiciary heard my HB 506. It is a ballot initiative that would allow voters to decide on a Constitutional Amendment to transition to merit based, fully bi-partisan Montana Supreme Court appointments with public hearings rather than maintaining our current elections that have become highly partisan. I am concerned about the corrosive effect on trust of partisanship in the judiciary and want to provide voters with an alternative to multiple proposals for openly partisan judicial races. Twenty-two states currently have merit-based supreme court justice selection systems while only 6 have partisan elections.
Please email, text or call with any questions or feedback. I am honored to serve you and remain committed to continuing to earn your trust.
