House unanimously passes budget bill

The 63rd Montana Legislature finished its 11th week of the session. On March 19, the House heard House Bill 2. This bill is the funding bill for all of the state government for the biennium. It supplies the money for schools, public health, natural resources, general government, judicial, law enforcement and justice.

Currently, HB 2 spends $9 billion over the 2014-2015 years. Of the total budget, education receives 52 percent, public health receives 26 percent, judicial-law enforcement-justice receives 15 percent, general government receives 5 percent, and natural resources receives 2 percent.

Forty-four percent of the total state budget comes from federal funds. As it is now written, HB 2 is a 1.2 percent overall increase over the last budget. HB 2 passed the House on a 97 to 0 vote with no amendments offered. It now goes to the Senate for their approval.

Other bills of interest to the Flathead Valley that passed the House are Senate Bills 326, 114 and 189. SB 326 is titled “Revise sexual assault laws and parental rights.” With this bill, if a person is convicted of rape resulting in a child being born, that person would forfeit all parental and custodial rights to the child. It passed the House on a 98 to 0 vote.

SB 114 is titled “Eliminate certain charges for motor vehicle registration.” This bill will maintain the same yearlong registration after the transfer of a vehicle to a subsequent owner. Double taxation on vehicles will be eliminated. It passed the House on an 80 to 20 vote.

SB 189 is titled “Revise partner and family member assault laws regarding out-of-state convictions.” This bill provides that a conviction in another state for an offense related to domestic violence between partners or family members is a conviction for determining the number of prior convictions. It passed the House on a 96 to 0 vote.

These bills are now being sent to Gov. Steve Bullock. You can contact him with your thoughts on the bills or view the full text of the legislation by going online to www.leg.mt.gov.

Rep. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell, represents House District 5, rural Columbia Falls.