Title 90, Title 90

The department of commerce shall: (1) provide coordinating services to aid state and local groups and Indian tribal governments in the promotion of new economic enterprises and conduct publicity and promotional activities within the state, nationally, and internationally in conne…

The department may: (1) survey and investigate housing needs throughout the state and publish the results and make recommendations to the governor and the legislature as to legislation and other measures necessary, desirable, or advisable to alleviate housing problems; (2) mainta…

(1) The department of commerce may contract for consulting services for the purpose of undertaking and conducting planning and study projects. It may make agreements with other state agencies in order to accomplish its own research programs. It may perform research, but when poss…

The department of commerce shall, in cooperation with other state, federal, and local agencies, establish and maintain a central depository of information, including computer-retrievable files, concerning the significant characteristics of the state, its people, economy, land, an…

The department of commerce, the state-tribal economic development commission, and heritage preservation and cultural tourism commissions created as provided in 90-1-162 are exempt from the provisions of Title 75, chapter 1, parts 1 and 2, when authorizing grants or loans, adminis…

(1) It is the policy of this state to: (a) strengthen the foundations of the state's business environment and diversify and expand existing economic endeavors to achieve long-term economic stability; (b) cooperate with business enterprises, local governments, other public organiz…

(1) State agencies that have economic development responsibilities shall cooperate with the office of economic development and provide information, technical expertise, and other assistance when requested by the office of economic development. (2) On written request to the direct…

(1) The office of economic development may adopt rules to implement the provisions of 2-15-218, 2-15-219, 90-1-112, 90-1-113, and this section. The rules must include but are not limited to: (a) criteria for providing assistance to communities; and (b) coordinating economic devel…

(1) As used in this section, the following definitions apply: (a) "Certified regional development corporation" means a private, nonprofit corporation that has been designated by the department through a competitive process to manage and administer funds and programs for the depar…

(1) There is a small business state matching grant program established within the department of commerce to provide guidelines and state matching grants to businesses meeting the criteria in 90-1-118 that have received phase I funding for federal small business innovative researc…

(1) To be eligible for a state matching grant under 90-1-117 through 90-1-119, a business shall provide evidence to the department of commerce that the business meets all of the following criteria: (a) the business is a for-profit sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liabili…

(1) The department of commerce may award grants of no more than $100,000 to a business meeting the criteria in 90-1-118. (2) A business may receive a state matching grant for each separate project that is submitted under a federal small business innovative research grant or small…

The department of commerce through its state trade expansion program or an equivalent program shall: (1) promote the state through trade show delegations at key events regionally, nationally, and globally; (2) work with the Montana agriculture development council, the tourism adv…

The gap financing program account consists of money deposited in the account from an appropriation in Chapter 400, Laws of 2015, and money from any other source. Any interest earned by the account must be deposited in the account and used to sustain the program.

Sections 90-1-130 through 90-1-135 may be cited as the "Native American Economic Development Act of 1999".

(1) There is a state-tribal economic development commission administratively attached to the department of commerce as prescribed in 2-15-121. (2) The commission is composed of 11 members, each appointed by the governor to 3-year staggered terms commencing on July 1 of each year …

(1) The general purposes of the state-tribal economic development commission include: (a) assisting, promoting, encouraging, developing, and advancing economic prosperity and employment on Indian reservations in Montana by fostering the expansion of business, manufacturing, touri…

Sections 90-1-105 and 90-1-132 do not constitute or imply any waiver of sovereignty on the part of any of the federally recognized tribes in Montana.

(1) There is a state special revenue account in the state treasury for the receipt of state and private funds and a federal special revenue account in the state treasury for the receipt of federal funds for expenditure by the state-tribal economic development commission establish…

Sections 90-1-141 through 90-1-147 may be cited as the "Economic Development Financial Assistance Act".

The purposes of 90-1-141 through 90-1-147 are to: (1) provide a convenient, accessible, and comprehensive clearinghouse for information about available financial assistance offered by the state, including but not limited to loans, grants, and tax credits; (2) provide financial as…

As used in 90-1-141 through 90-1-147, the following definitions apply: (1) "Center" means the financial assistance center provided for in 90-1-144. (2) "Financial assistance" means loans, grants, and tax credits or incentive programs offered by the state to facilitate economic de…

(1) There is a financial assistance center within the department of commerce. (2) The center shall: (a) compile and include a comprehensive list of all state financial assistance programs, including but not limited to: (i) eligible recipients; (ii) conditions required for an awar…

(1) State agencies administering financial assistance programs shall cooperate with the department of commerce in providing information for the center. (2) The department shall include all of the information received from other agencies in the center.

(1) The department shall encourage and invite the federal government, local governments, other political subdivisions, local economic development corporations, and private financial institutions to make lending information available to the department of commerce. (2) The departme…

The department of commerce may adopt rules to: (1) provide for uniform loan and grant applications, when appropriate; (2) coordinate the announcement and marketing of available financial assistance programs that are administered by other state agencies; (3) provide for the specif…

(1) There is a main street program in the department of commerce developed in conjunction with the main street program of the national trust for historic preservation. (2) The purpose of the program is to: (a) assist communities in restoring and retaining the historic character o…

Sections 90-1-154 through 90-1-159 may be cited as the "Montana-Ireland Trade Development Act".

As used in sections 90-1-154 through 90-1-159, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions apply: (1) "Commission" means the Montana-Ireland trade commission established in 2-15-1839. (2) "Department" means the department of commerce established in 2…

(1) The purposes of the commission are to: (a) advance bilateral trade and investment between Montana and Ireland; (b) initiate joint action on issues of mutual interest to Montana and Ireland; (c) promote business and academic exchanges between Montana and Ireland; (d) encourage…

(1) (a) The commission shall convene for its first meeting no later than 30 days after all commission members have been appointed. (b) At the initial meeting of the commission and annually thereafter, the members shall select one member from among the four appointed legislators t…

(1) There is established in the state treasury the Montana-Ireland trade development special revenue account to the credit of the department. The purposes of the account are to reimburse the department for the administrative expenses of the commission and to support the commissio…

On or before September 1 of each year, the Montana-Ireland trade commission shall provide a report to the governor and the legislature, in accordance with 5-11-210. The report must include: (1) a description of the commission's work, including how often the commission met during …

The purposes of 90-1-160 through 90-1-164 and 90-1-167 through 90-1-169 are to: (1) assist the state and local governments in identifying, protecting, and promoting heritage and cultural tourism resources; (2) further support local preservation programs and encourage participatio…

As used in 90-1-160 through 90-1-164 and 90-1-167 through 90-1-169, the following definitions apply: (1) "Heritage and cultural tourism resources" means sites, districts, routes of travel, objects, artifacts, or collections with demonstrable cultural, artistic, architectural, fol…

(1) Counties, consolidated governments, and municipalities may create heritage preservation and cultural tourism commissions or authorize existing historic preservation commissions to conduct heritage preservation and cultural tourism programs according to the provisions of 90-1-…

(1) A heritage preservation and cultural tourism commission: (a) may prepare a heritage and cultural tourism promotion and development plan, as provided in 90-1-164, and shall operate according to the provisions of that plan; (b) must be operated in a manner that allows the count…

(1) A heritage preservation and cultural tourism commission may prepare a heritage and cultural tourism promotion and development plan and shall operate according to the provisions of that plan. (2) A heritage and cultural tourism promotion and development plan must be created in…

(1) A heritage preservation and cultural tourism commission may designate individuals possessing the highest quality artistic, traditional, or folkway skills, talents, and knowledge as Montana cultural treasures and may conduct programs to honor and promote the individuals with t…

(1) Counties, consolidated governments, and municipalities may participate in the Montana-certified local government program administered by the Montana historical society pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, 16 U.S.C. 470 through 470w-6. (2) A county, cons…

Upon receipt of a petition from a heritage preservation and cultural tourism commission, the department of transportation shall erect and maintain signs designating heritage and cultural tourism resources along highways in the vicinity of the heritage and cultural tourism resourc…

The department of commerce may adopt rules to implement the broadband mapping program funded in Chapter 489, Laws of 2009.

The department of commerce may, if funds are available, advocate on behalf of local governments, as defined in 7-11-1002, by reviewing, analyzing, and commenting on prospective impacts on local socioeconomic conditions from federal land management proposals.

(1) In carrying out the provisions of 90-1-181, the department of commerce may conduct on behalf of local governments a socioeconomic impact review and analysis of significant federal land management proposals. The department of commerce may use the review and analysis to comment…

(1) (a) There is a big sky economic development program that consists of: (i) the big sky economic development fund established in 17-5-703; and (ii) the economic development special revenue account provided for in 90-1-205. (b) Interest and income from the big sky economic devel…

(1) The legislature finds and declares that economic development is a public purpose. The purpose of the big sky economic development program is to assist in economic development for Montana that will: (a) create good-paying jobs for Montana residents; (b) promote long-term, stab…