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- 2025
69th Legislature 2025 HB 511
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 511
ENROLLED BILL
AN ACT CREATING A FIREFIGHTING TRAINING FACILITY GRANT PROGRAM TO FUND CAPITAL
CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR PROJECTS, AND EQUIPMENT PURCHASES;
PROVIDING DEFINITIONS; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; REQUIRING MATCHING FUNDS ON A
ONE-TO-ONE BASIS; ALLOWING APPROPRIATIONS TO CONTINUE INTO THE 2027 AND 2029
BIENNIUMS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND A TERMINATION DATE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Definitions. For the purposes of [sections 1 through 6], unless otherwise provided, the
following definitions apply:
(1) "Department" means the department of military affairs established in 2-15-1201.
(2) "Local government firefighting authority" means a governmental fire agency organized under
Title 7, chapter 33.
Section 2. Firefighting training facility infrastructure account -- use. (1) There is a firefighting
training facility infrastructure account within the state special revenue fund provided for in 17-2-102 to provide
grant funding to local government firefighting authorities that provide firefighting services and for administrative
costs related to administering the grants. The department shall administer the account.
(2) Up to 3% of the funds appropriated in [section 8] may be allocated for the department's
administrative costs.
Section 3. Firefighting training facility infrastructure grants authorization. (1) The department is
authorized to make up to $5 million in grants to local government firefighting authorities for property acquisition,
construction, space acquisition, remodeling, repairs, and the purchase of appliances and equipment. The
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69th Legislature 2025 HB 511
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ENROLLED BILL
grants authorized in this section are subject to the conditions set forth in [section 5].
(2) The department shall receive proposals from local government firefighting authorities for
firefighting training facility infrastructure projects.
(3) Funding for projects may be provided only as long as there are sufficient funds available from
the amount that was deposited or transferred in the firefighting training facility infrastructure account for grants
established in [section 2]. Funding for these projects must be made available in the order that the grant
recipients satisfy the conditions described in [section 5].
Section 4. Eligibility -- submission deadline -- priority -- guidelines. (1) A local government
firefighting authority may apply to the department for firefighting training facility infrastructure grants under
[section 3].
(2) Local government firefighting authorities shall submit grant applications to the department in
order to be eligible for funding under [section 3].
(3) The department is authorized to adopt guidelines necessary to implement [sections 3 through
5].
Section 5. Condition of grants -- disbursement of funds. (1) The disbursement of grant funds for
the projects chosen by the department pursuant to [section 3] is subject to the following conditions:
(a) the grant recipient shall document the availability of matching funds at least $1 in value for
each $1 of the grant;
(b) the grant recipient shall execute a grant agreement with the department that includes a project
management plan and reporting requirements to track the outcomes of allocated grants; and
(c) the grant recipient shall satisfy other specific requirements considered necessary by the
department to accomplish the purpose of the project as evidenced by the application to the department.
(2) Projects must adhere to the design standards required by applicable regulations. Recipients of
program funds for projects that are not subject to any design standards shall comply with generally accepted
industry standards.
(3) If actual project expenses are lower than the projected expense of the project, the department
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69th Legislature 2025 HB 511
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ENROLLED BILL
shall reduce the amount of grant funds to be provided to grant recipients.
Section 6. Maximum state funding available -- for each project -- for each county. (1) The
amount of state funding allocated to entities within an individual county under [sections 3 through 5] may not
exceed $500,000. No more than two applications may be funded in any one county.
(2) The amount of a grant to a single project may not exceed $250,000.
Section 7. Transfer of funds. By July 1, 2025, the state treasurer shall transfer $5 million from the
capital developments long-range building program account established in 17-7-209 to the firefighting training
facility infrastructure account established in [section 2].
Section 8. Appropriation. There is appropriated $5 million from the firefighting training facility
infrastructure account established in [section 2] to the department of military affairs for the biennium beginning
July 1, 2025, for grants authorized in [sections 3 through 5]. Appropriations are authorized to continue through
the biennium beginning July 1, 2029.
Section 9. Effective date. [This act] is effective June 30, 2025.
Section 10. Termination. [This act] terminates June 30, 2031.
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I hereby certify that the within bill,
HB 511, originated in the House.
___________________________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
___________________________________________
Speaker of the House
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
___________________________________________
President of the Senate
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
HOUSE BILL NO. 511
INTRODUCED BY S. DEMAROIS, S. NOVAK, J. REAVIS, B. EDWARDS, J. ISALY, M. LEE, P. STRAND, T.
CROWE, J. SECKINGER, B. CLOSE, P. ELVERUM, S. FYANT, J. WEBER, J. SOOKTIS, M. CUNNINGHAM,
S. ROSENZWEIG, E. TILLEMAN, E. BUTTREY, E. MATTHEWS, T. RUNNING WOLF, F. SMITH, M. FOX, G.
LAMMERS, D. BAUM, M. CAFERRO, B. CARTER, J. COHENOUR, J. FITZPATRICK, T. FRANCE, D. HAWK,
S. HOWELL, J. KARLEN, C. KEOGH, G. NIKOLAKAKOS, M. ROMANO, K. SULLIVAN, M. THANE, Z.
ZEPHYR, M. MARLER, D. JOY, C. FITZPATRICK, J. LYNCH
AN ACT CREATING A FIREFIGHTING TRAINING FACILITY GRANT PROGRAM TO FUND CAPITAL
CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR PROJECTS, AND EQUIPMENT PURCHASES; PROVIDING
DEFINITIONS; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; REQUIRING MATCHING FUNDS ON A ONE-TO-ONE
BASIS; ALLOWING APPROPRIATIONS TO CONTINUE INTO THE 2027 AND 2029 BIENNIUMS; AND
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND A TERMINATION DATE.