Montana House District 55 Summary of the 69th Montana Legislative Session
May 13, 2025
By Representative Brad Barker (Montana House District 55)
I am honored to have served as your Representative for House District 55. This is a very brief summary of the work of the 69th Legislature. I will provide a deeper dive into individual policy areas over the coming months. Guided by conservative principles, a commitment to local control, and a deep respect for those who serve, this session was a productive one with lasting benefits for Montana families, veterans, and taxpayers.
Fiscal Stewardship: A Balanced Budget that Saves and Gives Back
As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I helped lead the effort to deliver a balanced, responsible state budget. Claims that the budget was not balanced and general fund spending jumped 17% use Montana’s accounting rules to mislead. Under those rules, even long-term savings and tax reductions count as “spending” which is used to distort headlines. Unlike the Federal government, our Constitution requires us to balance the budget. This budget prioritized taxpayers, not bureaucracies.
Here's what the facts show:
We delivered a balanced budget that invested in the future without growing government.
Nearly $1 billion ($984.6 million) in general fund outlay was allocated to trust investments and property tax relief—not increasing recurring general fund spending.
These investments included:
Funding the Montana Growth & Opportunity Trust to generate returns that support infrastructure like bridges, schools, water systems and support funding for existing pension liabilities, workforce development housing programs, and early childhood support programs.
Providing direct property tax rebates and buying down statewide education mill levies to help homeowners and renters.
Legislative Victories
Seven of the bills I sponsored became law:
HB 72 updates pay for National Guard personnel during State Active Duty.
HB 307 ensures that more Purple Heart recipients are prioritized in hunting tag donations by improving the process.
HB 393 expands public meeting transparency requirements for smaller towns to build on work from last session.
HB 567 incentivizes school districts to cooperate to improve operating efficiencies and lower the burden on taxpayers by providing increased teacher pay if they do.
HB 606 empowers local school districts to reorganize with greater local control.
HB 823 improves Montana’s alignment with federal workforce and education planning by strengthening the State Plan Committee to improve career and technical education opportunities.
HJ 53 launched an interim study on improving school safety across Montana.
Key Collaborations
I also collaborated on transformative legislation, including:
HB 245, which preserves rural healthcare access while implementing work requirements and modest premiums for able-bodied Medicaid recipients. Our efforts align Montana with current Federal proposals to improve the accountability and sustainability of the Medicaid program.
HB 924, which created the Montana Growth & Opportunity Trust, investing volatile revenues for long-term stability and protecting taxpayers in leaner times.
SB 542, which delivered meaningful property tax reform, providing relief for Montana resident homeowners, renters, and small business owners. Forecasts show that Carbon County Resident homeowners should see an almost 7.5% property tax reduction in Tax Year (TY) 2025 and 17.0% in 2026. Much of the property tax relief for Montana residents is shifted to vacation homes and short-term rentals which are forecast to see an increase of almost 4.0% in 2025 and 65.0% in 2026, bringing their tax rate more in line with other hospitality properties.
Interim Leadership
During the interim, I’ve been appointed to serve on:
Legislative Finance Committee
Budget Interim Committee
Decennial School Funding Commission
These positions allow me to influence how Montana prepares for the future—budgeting smartly, simplifying and improving the school funding model, and holding government accountable.
Moving Montana Forward
Throughout the 2025 session, I’ve been guided by the values we share in Carbon County: fiscal discipline, individual liberty, respect for service, and strong local governance.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve. I remain committed to securing Montana’s future and making sure your voice is heard.
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.
