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- 2025
69th Legislature 2025 SB 303
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – SB 303
ENROLLED BILL
AN ACT REQUIRING DESIGNATED STATE AGENCIES TO SUBMIT REPORTS TO THE OFFICE OF
BUDGET AND PROGRAM PLANNING ON INFORMATION RELATED TO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
PROVIDED TO TRIBAL ENTITIES; REQUIRING THE OFFICE OF BUDGET AND PROGRAM PLANNING TO
COMPILE A REPORT ON FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY DESIGNATED STATE AGENCIES
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY TO TRIBAL ENTITIES AND SUBMIT THE REPORT IN AN ELECTRONIC
FORMAT TO THE STATE-TRIBAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE, THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE,
AND THE OFFICE OF STATE DIRECTOR OF INDIAN AFFAIRS; REQUIRING THE REPORT COMPILED BY
THE OFFICE OF BUDGET AND PROGRAM PLANNING TO BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE OF THE
OFFICE OF STATE DIRECTOR OF INDIAN AFFAIRS; ESTABLISHING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS;
PROVIDING DEFINITIONS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Definitions. As used in [sections 1 and 2], unless the context clearly indicates otherwise,
the following definitions apply:
(1) (a) "Designated state agency" means:
(i) the department of administration;
(ii) the department of agriculture;
(iii) the Montana arts council;
(iv) the office of the state auditor;
(v) the board of regents;
(vi) the department of commerce;
(vii) the department of corrections;
(viii) the department of environmental quality;
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69th Legislature 2025 SB 303
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ENROLLED BILL
(ix) the department of fish, wildlife, and parks;
(x) the governor's office;
(xi) the department of labor and industry;
(xii) the department of livestock;
(xiii) the department of military affairs;
(xiv) the Montana board of crime control;
(xv) the department of natural resources and conservation;
(xvi) the commissioner of political practices;
(xvii) the office of state public defender;
(xviii) the board of public education;
(xix) the department of public health and human services;
(xx) the office of public instruction;
(xxi) the public service commission;
(xxii) the department of revenue;
(xxiii) the school for the deaf and blind;
(xxiv) the office of the secretary of state;
(xxv) the state fund;
(xxvi) the state library;
(xxvii) the department of transportation;
(xxviii) the office of the commissioner of higher education; or
(xxix) the department of justice.
(b) The term does not include the judicial branch, the legislative branch, or an office or other entity
within the judicial branch or the legislative branch.
(2) (a) "Financial assistance" means assistance provided directly or indirectly to a tribal entity
either as state funds or as federal funds provided through a state agency to carry out a program. Financial
assistance may be in the form of grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, loans, loan guarantees, property,
interest subsidies, insurance, direct appropriations, and electronic benefit transfer cards. The term includes
awards received directly or indirectly by a tribal entity as state funds or as federal funds passed through a state
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69th Legislature 2025 SB 303
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ENROLLED BILL
agency directly or indirectly from a subrecipient. The granting agency is responsible for identifying the source of
funds awarded to tribal entity recipients.
(b) The term does not include federal, state, or local government cash assistance provided directly
to individuals.
(3) "Subrecipient" means a third party who receives state funds or federal funds through a state
agency that the third party ultimately provides to a tribal entity in the form of financial assistance.
(4) "Tribal entity" means a tribal nation, tribal council, or tribal government located in the state.
Section 2. Funding for tribal entities -- reporting. (1) Following the close of each fiscal year, a
designated state agency that has distributed funds to a tribal entity or has received or retained funds related to
a program that directly or indirectly provides financial assistance to a tribal entity shall prepare a report that
identifies all financial assistance distributed by the designated state agency directly or indirectly to a tribal entity
in the previous fiscal year.
(2) Unless otherwise specifically provided in the report issued by the director of the office of Indian
affairs, the report under this section must provide the following information:
(a) the amount distributed directly to a tribal entity;
(b) the amount distributed to a subrecipient that was ultimately distributed to a tribal entity;
(c) the date the amount was distributed to a tribal entity or subrecipient;
(d) the tribal entity receiving the financial assistance;
(e) the federal assistance listings number, if applicable;
(f) the purpose of the distribution;
(g) the amount of any overhead rate and a general description of the uses of overhead funding for
distributing the financial assistance;
(h) for funds distributed pursuant to a program administered by a designated state agency, the
program through which the funds were distributed; and
(i) for federal funds, any other amount retained by the state agency and for what purpose.
(3) A designated state agency that prepares a report in accordance with subsection (1) shall
submit the report to the office of budget and program planning on or before November 1 of each year.
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69th Legislature 2025 SB 303
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ENROLLED BILL
(4) The office of budget and program planning shall prepare an annual report that compiles and
summarizes the reports that the office of budget and program planning receives in accordance with subsection
(3).
(5) On or before December 1 of each year, the office of budget and program planning shall submit
the report required by subsection (4) to:
(a) the state-tribal relations committee, in accordance with 5-11-210;
(b) the office of state director of Indian affairs provided for in 2-15-217;
(c) each federally recognized tribal government in the state; and
(d) the legislative finance committee established in 5-12-201.
(6) The report required by subsection (4) must be posted on the website of the office of state
director of Indian affairs.
Section 3. Notification to tribal governments. The secretary of state shall send a copy of [this act]
to each federally recognized tribal government in Montana.
Section 4. Codification instruction. [Sections 1 and 2] are intended to be codified as a new part in
Title 17, chapter 2, and the provisions of Title 17, chapter 2, apply to [sections 1 and 2].
Section 5. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2025.
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I hereby certify that the within bill,
SB 303, originated in the Senate.
___________________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
___________________________________________
President of the Senate
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
___________________________________________
Speaker of the House
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
SENATE BILL NO. 303
INTRODUCED BY J. WINDY BOY, S. NOVAK, T. CROWE, J. SECKINGER, S. FYANT, C. NEUMANN, W.
CURDY, M. DUNWELL, J. ELLIS, T. RUNNING WOLF, F. SMITH, S. WEBBER, D. FERN, M. FOX, D.
HARVEY, G. LAMMERS, L. SMITH, M. YAKAWICH, R. MINER, E. BOLDMAN, D. HAWK, D. HAYMAN, S.
HOWELL, C. KEOGH, E. KERR-CARPENTER, S. MORIGEAU, A. OLSEN, C. POPE, M. ROMANO, K.
SULLIVAN, M. THANE, P. TUSS, C. FITZPATRICK
AN ACT REQUIRING DESIGNATED STATE AGENCIES TO SUBMIT REPORTS TO THE OFFICE OF BUDGET
AND PROGRAM PLANNING ON INFORMATION RELATED TO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO
TRIBAL ENTITIES; REQUIRING THE OFFICE OF BUDGET AND PROGRAM PLANNING TO COMPILE A
REPORT ON FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY DESIGNATED STATE AGENCIES DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY TO TRIBAL ENTITIES AND SUBMIT THE REPORT IN AN ELECTRONIC FORMAT TO THE
STATE-TRIBAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE, THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND THE OFFICE
OF STATE DIRECTOR OF INDIAN AFFAIRS; REQUIRING THE REPORT COMPILED BY THE OFFICE OF
BUDGET AND PROGRAM PLANNING TO BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE OF THE OFFICE OF STATE
DIRECTOR OF INDIAN AFFAIRS; ESTABLISHING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS; PROVIDING
DEFINITIONS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.”