Legislation for tax relief, housing, education
Thirty days into the 69th session of the Montana Legislature, the House is operating as a well-oiled machine thanks to the leadership of Speaker Rep. Brandon Ler, Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Katie Zolnikov, Majority Leader Rep. Steve Fitzpatrick and Minority Leader Rep. Katie Sullivan — we are all the beneficiaries of their effort and talent.
In orderly fashion, policy around wildfire management, education funding, judicial elections, health care access, and property tax reform are benefitting from robust debate and advancing through the House.
As your representative, I plan to introduce a major property tax relief proposal, The Right Back Act in coming week. This legislation redirects surplus property tax funds collected from the 95 mills to immediately lower property tax burdens — rather than flowing into the general fund. When values rise significantly, as they have the last several reappraisal cycles, The Right Back Act will provide timely relief while stabilizing a core component of educational funding.
In addition, work continues to better our state’s infrastructure, community safety and housing. The following provides an outline of several commonsense priorities I am championing this session.
House Bill 351, which passed committee unanimously, modernizes gas tax collection by requiring payments at the first point of sale. This reform reduces administrative costs, enhances accuracy and ensures that more dollars are spent improving your roads. HB 351 is the compliment to my second infrastructure bill, which will streamline the utility relocations in the Montana Department of Transportation right-of-way, saving the taxpayer time and money.
In the housing realm, House Bill 180 addresses long-standing regulatory conflicts that have forced some property owners — particularly in the Flathead — to replace functional septic systems due to inconsistencies between local sanitation laws and state DEQ permitting. By resolving these conflicts, the bill protects landowners from unnecessary costs associated with having to replace an operational septic system that was legally permitted and built.
Public safety remains a key priority as your representative, with legislation advancing to improve law enforcement partnerships and strengthen protections for children. House Bill 333 establishes a streamlined process for small communities to contract with county law enforcement, providing greater clarity in negotiations and preventing drawn-out disputes. Additionally, House Bill 289 expands child endangerment laws by ensuring individuals who expose children to dangerous drugs such as fentanyl, heroin and cocaine are held accountable. Closing this gap in Montana law has been a major priority for law enforcement and public health experts, whose input has been instrumental in shaping the bill. The LEGAL Act, which crossed over to the Senate last week with strong bipartisan support, tackles the rising issue of illegal labor and levels the playing field for Montana’s law-abiding businesses.
Heading work in the Montana House this week, the Legislature continues to debate major education policies that will impact Montana schools for years to come. The STARS Act, sponsored by Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, which builds on the TEACH Act, is designed to increase starting teacher salaries and provide additional state funding to support Montana’s public schools. Backed by a wide cross-section of legislators, the proposal ensures that funding adjustments reflect cost-of-living differences between districts, helping to address teacher recruitment and retention challenges across the state. It is a privilege to sign on to this legislation as a co-sponsor alongside my neighboring colleague Sen. John Fuller, R-Kalispell.
At the same time, discussions around school choice and performance standards remain a focal point. The Montana Achievement and Accountability Performance Standards (MAAPS) bill from Rep. Lee Deming, R-Laurel, seeks to introduce new education benchmarks while expanding options for families. Supporters argue that the proposal empowers parents and strengthens school competition, while opponents have expressed concerns about fairness and incentivizing students to leave the public school system. With both public, private schools and homeschool families all prominently represented in House District 7, careful consideration will be needed to ensure that any reforms strengthen educational opportunities across the board.
Montanans expect solutions that prioritize fiscal responsibility, safeguard individual freedoms and enhance opportunities for families, students, and businesses. With thoughtful collaboration and a commitment to commonsense governance, this session continues to advance policies that reflect those values. While the majority of the session still stands ahead, it appears the field is well prepared to deliver positive gains for all Montanans.
Rep. Courtenay Sprunger, R-Kalispell