Title 90, Title 90

This part may be cited as the "Montana Geospatial Information Act".

The purpose of this part is to develop a standardized, sustainable method to collect, maintain, and disseminate information in digital formats about the natural and artificial land characteristics of Montana. Geospatial information changes continuously and is needed by businesses…

As used in this part, unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply: (1) "Account" means the Montana geospatial information account created in 90-1-409. (2) "Council" means the geospatial information advisory council established in 90-1-405. (3) "Digital …

(1) The state library shall: (a) serve as the administrator of the account; (b) work with all stakeholders, including but not limited to federal, state, local, private, and tribal entities, to prioritize needs and collect, develop, maintain, and disseminate geographic information…

(1) There is a geospatial information advisory council. (2) The council is composed of the following members: (a) the state librarian or the state librarian's designee who shall: (i) serve as the presiding officer of the council; or (ii) appoint the presiding officer from among t…

(1) The council shall: (a) advise the state library with regard to issues relating to the geographic information systems, geospatial information, and geospatial technologies; (b) advise the state library on the priority of geospatial information, including data layers, to be deve…

(1) There is established in the state special revenue fund a Montana geospatial information account. (2) All money received by the department of revenue pursuant to 7-4-2637(3)(a)(iii) must be deposited in the account. (3) Funds in the account must be invested pursuant to Title 1…

(1) The state library shall annually prepare a budget to carry out the state library's responsibilities described in 90-1-404. Money in the account may be used to fund all or a portion of the budget or to otherwise accomplish the purposes of this part. (2) The state library shall…

(1) Money in the account may be used only for the purposes of this part, including purchasing technology to assist in collecting, maintaining, or disseminating geographic information systems, geospatial information, or geospatial technologies, and funding the budget required unde…

(1) A state agency, a local government, or a tribal government entity may apply to the state library for funds in the account. All applicants shall complete an application and provide financial information as established by the state library. (2) The state library may provide ass…

The state library may adopt rules necessary to implement and administer the provisions of this part.

(1) Due to the current, well-documented decline in the wood products industry in Montana, the legislature finds that there is a need to assist the Montana wood products industry as a whole through a revolving loan program. (2) There is a special revenue account called the distres…

(1) The department of commerce may adopt rules to implement this part establishing: (a) eligibility criteria, including demonstrated need, criteria for defining capital investments, feasibility to create and retain jobs, financial capacity to repay the loans, estimated return on …

(1) The department of commerce shall develop reasonable outcome measures by which the success of the distressed wood products industry revolving loan program provided for in this part must be measured on an annual basis. Minimal outcome that must be measured includes: (a) the use…

Money in the distressed wood products industry revolving loan account, the distressed wood products matching fund, and the related federal special revenue fund is statutorily appropriated, as provided in 17-7-502, for the purpose of administering this part.

The department of commerce is exempt from the provisions of Title 75, chapter 1, parts 1 and 2, when authorizing loans, administering a loan program, or creating a loan program related to the Montana wood products industry pursuant to this part.

(Temporary) Short title. This part may be cited as the "ConnectMT Act". (Terminates on occurrence of contingency--sec. 9, Ch. 696, L. 2023.)

(Temporary) Definitions. As used in this part, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions apply: (1) (a) "Broadband" means a mass-market retail service by wire or radio that provides the capability to transmit data to and receive data from all or su…

(Temporary) Establishment of commission and program -- administration and funding. (1) There is a communications advisory commission that consists of nine members who must be appointed as follows: (a) three legislators appointed by the president of the senate to include two membe…

(Temporary) Eligible projects. (1) An eligible proposal may be awarded funding under this section, consistent with the national telecommunications and information administration, for a project in a project area that, as of the date the proposal is filed, constitutes an unserved o…

(Temporary) Eligible proposals. (1) Eligible providers who submit responsive proposals: (a) may not receive funds under any other federal or state government grant or loan program where government funding supports 100% of the proposed project's capital costs; (b) shall commit to …

(Temporary) Proposals. (1) The department shall establish a location prioritized timeframe commencing an open process for submission of proposals for funding under the proposal program established in this part. The window for submission must be at least 60 days and not more than …

(Temporary) Review of proposal challenges -- approval. (1) Fourteen business days following the closing of the submission window, the department shall make the proposals received available for review in a publicly available electronic file, subject to the confidentiality provisio…

(Temporary) Implementation. (1) Consistent with the provisions of this part, the department shall define criteria and implementation processes to ensure that project funds are used as intended. (2) This section may not be construed to preclude the department from considering a pr…

(Temporary) Montana broadband infrastructure accounts. (1) (a) There is a federal special Montana broadband infrastructure account. (b) All money in the account is allocated to the department of administration to be used solely for the purposes of this part. Interest earned on fu…