reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MT Code § 7-3-114 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-114. Statutory basis for municipal commission-manager government

  7-3-114. Statutory basis for municipal commission-manager government. (1) For the purpose of determining the statutory basis of existing units of local government after May 2, 1977, each unit of local government organized under the general statutes authorizing the municipal commission-manager form of government shall be governed by the following sections:   (a) 7-3-301;   (b) 7-3-302(1);   (c) 7-3-303;   (d) 7-3-304;   (e) 7-3-305;   (f) 7-3-312(3);   (g) 7-3-313(1);   (h) 7-3-314(2);   (i) 7-3-315(2);   (j) 7-3-316(2);   (k) 7-3-317(2);   (l) 7-3-318.   (2) This form has terms of 4 years for all elected officials. The size of the commission shall be established by ordinance, but it may not exceed five members.   History: En. 16-5115.1 by Sec. 4, Ch. 513, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 16-5115.1(2).
MT Code § 7-3-115 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-115. through 7-3-120 reserved

  7-3-115 through 7-3-120 reserved.
MT Code § 7-3-121 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-121. Purpose

  7-3-121. Purpose. The purpose of 7-3-121 through 7-3-123, 7-3-125, and 7-3-141 through 7-3-161 is to provide procedures for alteration of existing forms of local government.   History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 2, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 34, Ch. 49, L. 2015.
MT Code § 7-3-122 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-122. Definitions

  7-3-122. Definitions. As used in this part, unless the context indicates otherwise, the following definitions apply:   (1) "Authority" means:   (a) a municipal or regional airport authority as provided in Title 67, chapter 11;   (b) a conservancy district as provided in Title 85, chapter 9;   (c) a conservation district as provided in Title 76, chapter 15;   (d) a drainage district as provided in Title 85, chapter 8;   (e) an irrigation district as provided in Title 85, chapter 7;   (f) a hospital district as provided in Title 7, chapter 34, part 21;   (g) a water conservation and flood control district as provided in Title 76, chapter 5, part 11;   (h) a county water and sewer district as provided in Title 7, chapter 13, part 22; or   (i) an urban transportation district as provided in Title 7, chapter 14, part 2.   (2) "Finance administrator" means the individual responsible for the financial administration of the local government and generally means the county or city treasurer or town clerk unless the alternative form or governing body specifies a different individual.   (3) "Form of government" or "form" means one of the types of local government enumerated in 7-3-102 and the type of government described in 7-3-111.   (4) "Governing body" means the commission or the town meeting legislative body established in the alternative form of a local government under Title 7, chapter 3, parts 1 through 7.   (5) "Local improvement district" means an improvement district in which property is assessed to pay for specific capital improvements benefiting the assessed property.   (6) "Plan of government" has the meaning provided in 7-1-4121.   (7) "Records administrator" means the individual responsible for keeping the public records of the local government and generally means the county, city, or town clerk unless the alternative form or governing body specifies a different individual.   (8) "Subordinate service district" means a special district within a local government in which certain services are provided and in which taxes may be levied to finance the services.   History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 20, Ch. 575, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 521, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 2, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 35, Ch. 49, L. 2015.
MT Code § 7-3-123 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-123. Alteration of existing forms of local government

  7-3-123. Alteration of existing forms of local government. An alteration of an existing form of local government may be proposed by a petition of the electors.   History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 675, L. 1979.
MT Code § 7-3-124 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-124. Repealed

  7-3-124. Repealed. Sec. 262, Ch. 49, L. 2015.   History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 2, L. 2009.
MT Code § 7-3-125 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-125. Petition for alteration

  7-3-125. Petition for alteration. (1) A petition for the alteration of an existing form of local government may be presented to the governing body of the local government. The petition must meet the requirements of 7-3-142 through 7-3-145.   (2) The petition must be signed by at least 15% of the electors of the local government registered at the last general election. Whenever county-municipal consolidation is proposed, the petition must be signed by at least 15% of the electors residing within the municipality or municipalities proposed to be consolidated and at least 15% of the electors residing in the remainder of the county.   History: En. Sec. 5, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 36, Ch. 49, L. 2015.
MT Code § 7-3-126 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-126. through 7-3-140 reserved

  7-3-126 through 7-3-140 reserved.
MT Code § 7-3-141 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-141. Permissible recommendations

  7-3-141. Permissible recommendations. (1) A petition proposing to alter an existing county government may:   (a) recommend amendments to the existing plan of government;   (b) recommend any form of government authorized by Title 7, chapter 3, parts 1 through 5;   (c) draft a charter;   (d) recommend municipal-county consolidation or amendments to an existing consolidation; or   (e) in cooperation with a similar petition calling for an election on county merger circulated in an adjoining county, recommend county merger.   (2) A petition proposing to alter a municipal government may:   (a) recommend amendments to the existing plan of government;   (b) recommend any form of government authorized by Title 7, chapter 3, parts 1 through 6;   (c) draft a charter; or   (d) recommend disincorporation.   History: En. Sec. 6, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 21, Ch. 575, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 521, L. 2007.
MT Code § 7-3-142 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-142. Requirements for petition

  7-3-142. Requirements for petition. A petition proposing an alteration of a local government must contain:   (1) a certificate containing the plan of government of the existing form of local government;   (2) a certificate containing the plan of government of the proposed new form of government or amendments to the existing plan;   (3) a certificate containing the plan of apportionment of commissioner districts if districts are contained in the plan of government; and   (4) a comparison of the existing form of government and plan of government and proposed form of government and plan of government, including, if desired, a statement of the strengths and weaknesses of the existing and proposed forms and plans of government, information that supports the adoption of the proposed form and plan, and information that supports retention of the present form and plan.   History: En. Sec. 7, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 521, L. 2007.
MT Code § 7-3-143 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-143. Special requirements if consolidation recommended

  7-3-143. Special requirements if consolidation recommended. (1) Whenever county-municipal consolidation is recommended, a petition, in addition to the material required in 7-3-142, must contain a consolidation plan which:   (a) provides for adjustment of existing bonded indebtedness and other obligations in a manner which assures a fair and equitable burden of taxation for debt service;   (b) provides for establishment of subordinate service districts;   (c) provides for the transfer or other disposition of property and other rights, claims, assets, and franchises of the local governments consolidated under its proposal;   (d) provides the official name of the consolidated local government; and   (e) (i) provides for the transfer, reorganization, abolition, adjustment of boundaries, or absorption of all existing boards, bureaus, special districts, subordinate service districts, local improvement districts, agencies, and political subdivisions of the consolidated governments, excluding school districts and nonconsolidated municipalities; or   (ii) grants the legislative body of the consolidated government the authority to transfer, reorganize, abolish, adjust boundaries (and may provide a method for adjusting boundaries), or absorb existing boards, bureaus, special districts, subordinate service districts, local improvement districts, agencies, and political subdivisions of the consolidated governments, excluding school districts and nonconsolidated municipalities, with or without referendum requirements.   (2) The consolidation plan may include other provisions that are consistent with state law.   (3) Whenever amendments to an existing consolidation plan are recommended, a petition must contain a certificate containing amendments to the consolidation plan.   History: En. Sec. 8, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 26, Ch. 697, L. 1983.
MT Code § 7-3-144 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-144. Special requirements if county merger recommended

  7-3-144. Special requirements if county merger recommended. (1) Whenever county merger is recommended, a petition, in addition to the material required by 7-3-142, must contain a consolidation plan which:   (a) provides for adjustment of existing bonded indebtedness and other obligations in a manner which assures a fair and equitable burden of taxation for debt service;   (b) provides for establishment of subordinate service districts;   (c) provides for the transfer or other disposition of property and other rights, claims, assets, and franchises of local governments consolidated under the alternative plan;   (d) provides the official name of the consolidated local government; and   (e) (i) provides for the transfer, reorganization, abolition, adjustment of boundaries, or absorption of existing boards, subordinate service districts, local improvement districts, agencies, and political subdivisions of the consolidated governments, excluding school districts, authorities, and incorporated municipalities; or   (ii) grants the legislative body of the consolidated government the authority to transfer, reorganize, abolish, adjust boundaries, or absorb existing boards, subordinate service districts, local improvement districts, agencies, and political subdivisions of the consolidated governments, excluding school districts, authorities, and incorporated municipalities, with or without referendum requirements.   (2) The consolidation plan may include other provisions that are consistent with state law.   History: En. Sec. 9, Ch. 675, L. 1979.
MT Code § 7-3-145 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-145. Special requirements if municipal disincorporation recommended

  7-3-145. Special requirements if municipal disincorporation recommended. Whenever municipal disincorporation is recommended, a petition, in addition to the material required by 7-3-142, must contain:   (1) a certificate of disincorporation instead of a plan of government; and   (2) a recommended plan of disincorporation.   History: En. Sec. 10, Ch. 675, L. 1979.
MT Code § 7-3-146 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-146. Filing of petitions

  7-3-146. Filing of petitions. (1) Two copies of a petition must be filed with the department of administration.   (2) One copy of a petition must be filed with the local government records administrator.   (3) The filings required by this section must be done within 45 days of submission of the petition.   History: En. Sec. 11, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 274, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 287, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 26, Ch. 483, L. 2001.
MT Code § 7-3-147 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-147. Availability of petitions

  7-3-147. Availability of petitions. (1) Sufficient copies of a petition proposing alterations to an existing form of local government must be made available to the public for inspection at convenient locations and at reasonable hours to provide all interested persons an opportunity to review the recommendations and documents. The copies must be available no later than 30 days prior to an election on the recommendations if such an election is to be held. The local government may distribute copies of a petition to the electors or residents of the local government.   (2) The cost of preparing the copies needed to meet the requirements of this section shall be borne by the affected local government.   History: En. Sec. 12, Ch. 675, L. 1979.
MT Code § 7-3-148 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-148. Publication of summary and comparison

  7-3-148. Publication of summary and comparison. (1) A summary of the recommendations contained in a petition proposing alteration of an existing form of local government must be published at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the local government. Whenever an election on the recommendations is to be held, publication must be made during the 2 weeks preceding the election.   (2) The summary must contain a description of the recommendations, a comparison of the existing and proposed forms of government, and a list of locations where the full proposal may be seen or obtained.   (3) The cost of publication required by this section shall be borne by the affected local government.   History: En. Sec. 13, Ch. 675, L. 1979.
MT Code § 7-3-149 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-149. Election on alteration of form of government

  7-3-149. Election on alteration of form of government. (1) The governing body shall call an election on the question of an alteration of the form of government, a change in a plan of government, or, for an elected county official government, a change in the type of election proposed pursuant to 7-3-103(4) upon:   (a) the election administrator's verification that a petition filed pursuant to 7-3-121 through 7-3-123, 7-3-125, and 7-3-141 through 7-3-148 meets all the necessary requirements;   (b) adoption of a local government ordinance pursuant to 7-3-103(2)(b) or (4); or   (c) a recommendation by a study commission pursuant to 7-3-192.   (2) The election must be conducted in accordance with Title 13, chapter 1, part 4.   (3) The cost of the election must be paid for by the local government.   (4) (a) The affirmative vote of a simple majority of those voting on the question is required for adoption.   (b) In any election involving the question of consolidation, each question must be submitted to the electors in the county and requires an affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes cast in the county on the question for adoption. There is no requirement for separate majorities in local governments voting on consolidation.   (c) In any election involving the question of county merger, the questions must be submitted to the electors in the counties affected and require a majority of the votes cast on the questions in each affected county for adoption.   (d) If the electors disapprove the proposed new form of local government, amendments, or consolidation plan, the local government retains its existing form.   History: En. Sec. 14, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 214, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 250, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 387, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 521, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 37, Ch. 49, L. 2015; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 242, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 345, L. 2019.
MT Code § 7-3-150 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-150. General ballot requirements

  7-3-150. General ballot requirements. (1) The question of adopting an alteration of an existing form of government proposed by petition shall be submitted to the electors in substantially the following form:   Vote for one:   ☐ FOR adoption of the (self-government charter, amendment to an existing charter, or plan of government) proposed for (insert name of local government) proposed by petition of the people.   ☐ FOR the existing form of government.   (2) The whole number of ballots shall be divided into two equal sets. No more than one set may be used in printing the ballot for use in any one precinct and all ballots furnished for use in one precinct shall be identical. The existing plan of government shall be printed as the first item and the proposed plan as the second item on half of the ballots and the proposed form as the first item and the existing form as the second item on the other half of the ballots. If the local government consists of only one precinct, the existing plan shall be listed first on the ballot.   History: En. Sec. 15, Ch. 675, L. 1979.
MT Code § 7-3-151 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-151. Treatment of suboptions for proposed alternative forms

  7-3-151. Treatment of suboptions for proposed alternative forms. (1) A petition recommendation may not involve more than three separate suboptions, and a suboption may not contain more than two alternatives. If a suboption is submitted to the voters, only the ballot alternatives within that suboption receiving the highest number of affirmative votes are considered approved and included in the alternative form of government. If the alternative form of government fails, a suboption is of no effect.   (2) A proposed change of the form of government or change in a plan of government must be submitted to the voters as a single question, except that the suboptions within the form of local government authorized in Title 7, chapter 3, parts 1 through 6, and the suboptions authorized in a charter may be submitted to the electors as separate questions. The question of adopting a suboption must be submitted to the electors in substantially the following form:   Vote for one:   A legal officer (who may be called the "county attorney"):   ☐ To be elected for a term of 4 years.   ☐ To be appointed for a term of 4 years by the presiding officer of the local governing body.   History: En. Sec. 16, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 22, Ch. 575, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 27, Ch. 697, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 292, Ch. 61, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 521, L. 2007.
MT Code § 7-3-152 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-152. Effect of adoption of new form of government or change in plan of government

  7-3-152. Effect of adoption of new form of government or change in plan of government. The adoption of a new form of government or a change in a plan of government does not affect the validity of any bond, debt, contract, obligation, or cause of action accrued or established under the prior form of government.   History: En. Sec. 17, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 521, L. 2007.
MT Code § 7-3-153 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-153. Filing of approved plan

  7-3-153. Filing of approved plan. (1) A copy of the new form of government or change in a plan of government that is proposed by petition and that is ratified by the voters and any apportionment plan or consolidation or merger plan must be certified by the presiding officer of the governing body and filed with the department of administration, the county records administrator, and the municipal records administrator if it is a municipal plan.   (2) The approved form of government or change in a plan of government filed with the department of administration is the official plan and is a public record open to inspection by the public and judicially noticeable by all courts.   History: En. Sec. 18, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 274, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 287, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 27, Ch. 483, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 521, L. 2007.
MT Code § 7-3-154 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-154. Judicial review

  7-3-154. Judicial review. Judicial review to determine the validity of the procedures whereby any charter or alternative plan of government is adopted may be initiated by petition in district court of 10 or more registered voters of the local government brought within 60 days after the election at which the charter or plan of government, revision, or amendment is approved. If no petition is filed within that period, compliance with all the procedures required by 7-3-121 through 7-3-123, 7-3-125, and 7-3-141 through 7-3-161 and the validity of the manner in which the charter or plan of government was approved is conclusively presumed. It is presumed that proper procedure was followed and all procedural requirements were met. The adoption of a charter or plan of government may not be considered invalid because of any procedural error or omission unless it is shown that the error or omission materially and substantially affected its adoption.   History: En. Sec. 19, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 2, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 38, Ch. 49, L. 2015.
MT Code § 7-3-155 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 7. Local Government|Chapter 3. Alternative Forms of Local Government|Part 1. General Provisions|7-3-155. Three-year moratorium

  7-3-155. Three-year moratorium. (1) Unless the constitution requires otherwise, an election on the question of changing the form of local government, charter, or consolidation plan may not be conducted again for 3 years.   (2) For the purposes of this section, general election dates are considered to be 1 year apart and may be used in computing the 3-year moratorium. An election on the question of changing an alternative form of a unit of local government may not be challenged as failing to conform with the moratorium provisions of this section because 3 full calendar years may not have elapsed.   History: En. Sec. 20, Ch. 675, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 404, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 521, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 39, Ch. 49, L. 2015.