MontanaFailed bill proposed added fees for some high-priced vehicles
The failed Montana bill proposed added fees for some high-priced vehicles and would have directed money to highway patrol costs, crime victim services, and local bridge projects.
What it does
Owners of certain high-priced vehicles would pay an added registration fee. It would be 1% of the suggested retail price in the first Montana registration year, then $825 a year until the vehicle is 11 years old.
Owners would pay an added $10 for each covered vehicle. The money would support highway patrol costs and services for crime victims.
A $50 million state transfer would seed a fund for local bridge projects. Grants would require local governments to cover at least 20% of project costs.
Argument forLocal governments could get help paying to engineer and build local bridges, though they would need to cover at least 20% of project costs.
Argument againstOwners of some newer, high-priced vehicles could pay much more to register them, including a first-year fee tied to the suggested retail price.
More detail
Owners of certain high-priced vehicles would pay an added registration fee. This would apply to light vehicles priced above $150,000 and motor homes priced above $300,000 that are 10 years old or less. For the first year the vehicle is registered in Montana, the added fee would be 1% of its suggested retail price. The 1% first-year fee would begin January 1, 2026. Starting January 1, 2027, the price cutoffs would rise 2% each year, rounded to the nearest dollar.
Vehicle owners would pay an added $10 fee, with $8 going to highway patrol costs and $2 to crime victim services. The fee would apply to each light vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, heavy truck, motor home, motorcycle, quadricycle, and travel trailer subject to a registration fee. The $8 would go to an account that funds highway patrol salaries and expenses. The $2 would go to a victims of crime account to fund related services. The bill sets January 1, 2026, as the general effective date for the fee and the victims’ account.
The state would transfer $50 million to a bridge fund, which could help local governments pay for bridge projects. Grants could help local governments pay engineering and construction costs for local bridges that are off the state highway system. Local governments receiving grants would need to provide at least 20% of project costs. The transportation department could use up to 5% of money received for administration. The transfer deadline would be June 30, 2025. The bridge fund and transfer provisions would take effect on passage and approval.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Died
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- May 23(S) Died in ProcessDied
- Apr 30(S) Reconsidered Previous Action
- Vote recorded ReconsAction -Flowers. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded Do Adopt. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded Do Adopt. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Do Concur. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Do Adopt. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 30(S) 3rd Reading Conference Committee Report
- Apr 30(H) 3rd Reading Conference Committee Report
- Apr 30(H) Scheduled for 3rd ReadingMinor
- Apr 30(H) 2nd Reading Conference Committee ReportMinor
- Apr 30(S) Scheduled for 3rd ReadingMinor
- Apr 30(H) Scheduled for 2nd ReadingMinor
- Apr 30(S) 2nd Reading Conference Committee ReportMinor
- Apr 29(S) Scheduled for 2nd ReadingMinor
- Apr 29(S) Hearing - Conference Committee on SB 324
- Apr 29(H) Conference Committee Appointed
- Apr 29(S) Conference Committee Appointed
- Apr 28(S) 2nd Reading House AmendmentsMinor
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: fail.Upper
- Apr 28(S) Scheduled for 2nd ReadingMinor
- Apr 24(H) Reconsidered Previous Action
- Vote recorded ReconsAction - Maness. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded Do Concur. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 24(H) 3rd Reading
- Apr 23(H) Committee Report - (H) Appropriations
- Vote recorded be_concurred_in. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 23(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Appropriations
- Apr 23(S) Revised Fiscal Note Printed
- Apr 23(S) Fiscal Note Unsigned
- Apr 23(S) Revised Fiscal Note ReceivedMinor
- Apr 22(H) Hearing - (H) Appropriations
- Vote recorded Do Concur. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 22(H) Rereferred to Committee - (H) AppropriationsMinor
- Apr 22(H) 2nd ReadingMinor
- Apr 17(S) Revised Fiscal Note Requested
- Vote recorded be_concurred_in_as_amended. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 17(H) Committee Report - (H) Taxation
- Apr 17(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Taxation
- Apr 9(H) Hearing - (H) Taxation
- Apr 7(H) 1st Reading
- Apr 7(H) Referred to Committee - (H) TaxationMinor
- Apr 5(S) Transmitted to House
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 5(S) 3rd Reading
- Apr 5(S) Scheduled for 3rd ReadingMinor
- Apr 5(S) 2nd ReadingMinor
- Apr 4(S) Scheduled for 2nd ReadingMinor
- Apr 3(S) Committee Report - (S) Finance and Claims
- Vote recorded do_pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 3(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Finance and Claims
- Apr 3(S) Hearing - (S) Finance and Claims
- Apr 2(S) Rereferred to Committee - (S) Finance and ClaimsMinor
- Vote recorded Rerefer to Finance and Claims-Kassmier. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded ReconsAction -Kassmier. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 2(S) Reconsidered Previous Action
- Apr 1(S) 2nd Reading Indefinitely PostponedMinor
- Vote recorded Indefinitely Postpone -McGillvray. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: fail.Upper
- Apr 1(S) 2nd ReadingMinor
- Apr 1(S) Scheduled for 2nd ReadingMinor
- Mar 28(S) Revised Fiscal Note Printed
- Mar 27(S) Fiscal Note Unsigned
- Mar 26(S) Revised Fiscal Note ReceivedMinor
- Mar 24(S) 2nd Reading Pass ConsiderationMinor
- Mar 24(S) Scheduled for 2nd ReadingMinor
- Mar 19(S) Revised Fiscal Note Requested
- Mar 1(S) Committee Report - (S) Highways and Transportation
- Vote recorded do_pass_as_amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 1(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Highways and Transportation
- Feb 22(S) Fiscal Note Printed
- Feb 21(S) Fiscal Note Unsigned
- Feb 21(S) Hearing - (S) Highways and Transportation
- Feb 21(S) Hearing Canceled - (S) Highways and Transportation
- Feb 20(S) Fiscal Note ReceivedMinor
- Feb 18(S) Hearing - (S) Highways and Transportation
- Feb 14(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Highways and TransportationMinor
- Feb 14(S) 1st Reading
- Feb 14(S) Fiscal Note Requested
- Feb 13(S) Introduced
- Feb 12(LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- Feb 11(LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
- Feb 10(LC) Draft in Assembly
- Feb 10(LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
- Feb 7(LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
- Feb 4(LC) Draft in Edit
- Feb 4(LC) Draft in Legal Review
- 2024
- Dec 18(LC) Draft Taken Off Hold
- Oct 4(LC) Draft On Hold
- Oct 4(LC) Drafter AssignedIntroduced
TransportationPublic SafetyCriminal Justice