The 2023 Legislature passed House Bill 212, changing how business equipment is taxed in Montana. The new law increases the business equipment tax exemption from $300,000 to $1 million for tax year 2024. Businesses whose statewide market value of equipment is $1 million or less are exempt from the business equipment tax. These businesses do not have a reporting requirement in 2024 unless: (1) they

The Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board expanded its special jurisdiction over non-Indians under the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 on Aug. 17, 2023. What is VAWA? Originally passed in 1994, VAWA is the first federal legislation acknowledging domestic violence as crime and provides resources to encourage community coordinated responses to prevent violence against women. Subject

Gov. Greg Gianforte announced significant board appointments on Dec. 28. Glasgow’s Lee Cornwell was named to the Private Land Public Wildlife Advisory Council. As the owner of Cornwell Ranch in northeastern Montana, Cornwell will serve in his fifth term on the board which will run through Aug. 1, 2027. The council also includes Ed Beall of Helena (through Aug. 1, 2027), Col. Cynthia Cohan of Butte

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will host two meetings in January to discuss proposed 2024 upland game bird hunting regulations. FWP staff will present proposed 2024 upland game bird seasons and regulations, along with recent trends in upland game bird populations, harvest and hunting pressure. The meetings are being held in Glendive and Scobey, as eastern Montana attracts many resident and

A district court judge has determined that candidates for judicial positions do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy when being interviewed by representatives of the governor’s office, the result of a lawsuit filed by the Choteau Acantha newspaper and Montana Free Press. The Acantha and MTFP lawsuit contended that an advisory council that Gov. Greg Gianforte appointed to help

A legislative interim committee Thursday, Jan. 4, lent overwhelming support to a proposed ballot initiative that, if passed by voters in 2024, would require most Montana elections to be decided by a majority of the vote. The State Administration and Veterans’ Affairs Committee voted 9-1 in favor of Ballot Issue 13. This means signature-gathering sheets for the initiative will note the committee’s

Registration is now open for the 2024 Montana’s Next Generation Conference in Shelby, which offers 35 workshops for beginning and advanced producers. Montana State University Extension and NACDC Financial Services, Inc. will host the conference at Shelby High School on Saturday, Jan. 27. Participants can choose from six different workshops being held during each hour of the conference. Topics

Average gasoline prices in Montana have fallen 2.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.91/gallon on Monday, Jan. 8, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 615 stations in Montana. Prices in Montana are 13.0 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 6.3 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 5.6 cents in the last week and stands