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HB64 • 2025

Repeal small business compliance assistance council

Repeal small business compliance assistance council

Small Business
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Julie Darling
Last action
2025-02-28
Official status
Chapter Number Assigned
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide detailed information on how removing the advisory council will affect small businesses, leaving some uncertainty about its impact.

Get Rid of Small Business Help Group

This law removes the Small Business Compliance Assistance Advisory Council from Montana's Clean Air Act and changes how a small business representative works to help businesses understand air quality rules better.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the Small Business Compliance Assistance Advisory Council from Montana’s Clean Air Act.
  • Changes the duties of the Small Business Stationary Source Representative, who now works outside of regulatory programs and helps small businesses understand air quality rules better.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Small business owners dealing with air quality regulations
  • The Department of Environmental Quality

Terms To Know

Small Business Stationary Source Representative
A person who helps small businesses understand and follow air quality rules.
Clean Air Act
Laws that set standards to protect the environment from pollution, especially in Montana.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The exact impact on small business compliance assistance is not detailed.
  • It's unclear how removing the advisory council will affect support for small businesses dealing with air quality rules.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-28 HOUSE

    Chapter Number Assigned

  2. 2025-02-27 HOUSE

    (H) Signed by Governor

  3. 2025-02-20 SENATE

    (S) Signed by President

  4. 2025-02-20 HOUSE

    (H) Transmitted to Governor

  5. 2025-02-19 HOUSE

    (H) Signed by Speaker

  6. 2025-02-18 HOUSE

    (H) Returned from Enrolling

  7. 2025-02-15 SENATE

    (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading

  8. 2025-02-15 SENATE

    (S) 3rd Reading Concurred

  9. 2025-02-15 HOUSE

    (H) Sent to Enrolling

  10. 2025-02-14 SENATE

    (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading

  11. 2025-02-14 SENATE

    (S) 2nd Reading Concurred

  12. 2025-02-11 SENATE

    (S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred

  13. 2025-02-10 SENATE

    (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred

  14. 2025-01-30 SENATE

    (S) Hearing

  15. 2025-01-27 SENATE

    (S) Referred to Committee

  16. 2025-01-24 SENATE

    (S) First Reading

  17. 2025-01-23 HOUSE

    (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading

  18. 2025-01-23 HOUSE

    (H) 3rd Reading Passed

  19. 2025-01-23 HOUSE

    (H) Transmitted to Senate

  20. 2025-01-22 HOUSE

    (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading

  21. 2025-01-22 HOUSE

    (H) 2nd Reading Passed

  22. 2025-01-20 HOUSE

    (H) Committee Report--Bill Passed

  23. 2025-01-17 HOUSE

    (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed

  24. 2025-01-13 HOUSE

    (H) Hearing

  25. 2025-01-07 HOUSE

    (H) Fiscal Note Received

  26. 2025-01-07 HOUSE

    (H) Fiscal Note Signed

  27. 2025-01-07 HOUSE

    (H) Fiscal Note Printed

  28. 2025-01-06 HOUSE

    (H) First Reading

  29. 2025-01-03 HOUSE

    (H) Hearing Canceled

  30. 2024-12-28 HOUSE

    (H) Hearing

  31. 2024-12-20 HOUSE

    (H) Referred to Committee

  32. 2024-12-18 HOUSE

    (H) Fiscal Note Requested

  33. 2024-12-11 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester

  34. 2024-12-11 HOUSE

    (H) Introduced

  35. 2024-12-05 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery

  36. 2024-12-04 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Assembly

  37. 2024-12-03 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review

  38. 2024-12-02 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing

  39. 2024-11-26 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Edit

  40. 2024-11-25 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Legal Review

  41. 2024-10-09 HOUSE

    (LC) Drafter Assigned

Official Summary Text

Repeal small business compliance assistance council

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 64
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 64
ENROLLED BILL
AN ACT ELIMINATING THE SMALL BUSINESS COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE ADVISORY COUNCIL FROM
THE CLEAN AIR ACT OF MONTANA; REVISING THE DUTIES OF A SMALL BUSINESS STATIONARY
SOURCE REPRESENTATIVE; AMENDING SECTION 75-2-109, MCA; AND REPEALING SECTIONS 2-15-
2110 AND 75-2-106 MCA.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Section 75-2-109, MCA, is amended to read:
"75-2-109. Small business stationary source representative -- duties. (1) The department shall
establish a small business stationary source representative position that is not located in a regulatory program
of the department and not subject to direct supervision by a regulatory program of the department.
(2) The small business stationary source representative shall represent the interests of small
business stationary sources before the department and other appropriate local, state, and federal agencies
concerning the implementation and application of the requirements of this chapter. In addition, the
representative shall provide assistance to small business stationary sources in meeting the requirements of this
chapter. In carrying out these activities, the representative shall:
(a) monitor the activities of the small business stationary source technical and environmental
compliance assistance program;
(b) review and provide comments and recommendations to the department, local air pollution
control programs, the environmental quality council, as appropriate, and the appropriate federal agencies
regarding the development and implementation of regulations pertaining to air quality that impact small
business stationary sources;
(c) facilitate and promote the participation of small business stationary sources in the development
of new regulations pertaining to air quality that impact small business stationary sources;
****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 64
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – HB 64
ENROLLED BILL
(d) assist in the preparation and dissemination of reports and other information regarding the
applicability of the requirements of this chapter to small business stationary sources;
(e) assist in the preparation of guideline documents by the small business stationary source
technical and environmental compliance assistance program to ensure that these documents are readily
understandable by the lay person;
(f) assist small business stationary sources and their trade associations to encourage voluntary
compliance with the requirements of this chapter;
(g) cooperate with appropriate local, state, and federal agencies and private sector financial
institutions to assist small business stationary sources in locating financial assistance necessary for compliance
with the requirements of this chapter;
(h) consult with the small business compliance assistance advisory council small businesses and
other stakeholders at regular intervals throughout the year regarding problems faced by small business
stationary sources concerning the implementation and application of the requirements of this chapter; and
(i) perform other duties as may be necessary to meet the requirements of the federal Clean Air
Act, 42 U.S.C. 7401, et seq.
(3) Subject to Article II, section 9, of the Montana constitution, the small business stationary source
representative may not provide information that the representative obtains from a small business stationary
source to the department for use in any administrative or judicial action to enforce the requirements of this
chapter, unless the information discloses a violation that constitutes an imminent and substantial danger to
human health, safety, or the environment."
Section 2. Repealer. The following sections of the Montana Code Annotated are repealed:
2-15-2110. Small business compliance assistance advisory council.
75-2-106. Small business compliance assistance advisory council -- duties -- secretary -- meetings.
- END -
I hereby certify that the within bill,
HB 64, 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. 64
INTRODUCED BY J. DARLING
BY REQUEST OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
AN ACT ELIMINATING THE SMALL BUSINESS COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE ADVISORY COUNCIL FROM
THE CLEAN AIR ACT OF MONTANA; REVISING THE DUTIES OF A SMALL BUSINESS STATIONARY
SOURCE REPRESENTATIVE; AMENDING SECTION 75-2-109, MCA; AND REPEALING SECTIONS 2-15-
2110 AND 75-2-106 MCA.