2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 5. Legislative Branch › Chapter 4. Bills › Part 2. Fiscal Notes in Legislative Bills › 5-4-204. Submission of fiscal note -- sponsor's fiscal note rebuttal -- distribution to legislators

5-4-204. Submission of fiscal note -- sponsor's fiscal note rebuttal -- distribution to legislators.
(1) A completed fiscal note must be submitted by the budget director to the presiding officer who requested it. Upon receipt of the completed fiscal note, the presiding officer shall notify the sponsor of the bill for which the fiscal note was prepared that the fiscal note has been completed and is available for review. Within 24 hours following notification, the sponsor shall:
(a) notify the presiding officer that the sponsor concurs with the completed fiscal note;
(b) request additional time, not to exceed 24 hours, to consult with the budget director on the fiscal note; or
(c) elect to prepare a sponsor's fiscal note rebuttal as provided in subsection (4).
(2) (a) If the sponsor concurs with the completed fiscal note prepared by the budget director or elects to prepare a sponsor's fiscal note rebuttal, the presiding officer shall refer the completed fiscal note prepared by the budget director to the committee considering the bill. If the bill is printed, the note must be reproduced and placed on the members' desks.
(b) If the sponsor requests additional time to consult with the budget director, the presiding officer shall notify the sponsor and the budget director of the time, not to extend beyond the time limitation specified in subsection (1)(b), by which:
(i) the budget director shall submit a revised completed fiscal note to the presiding officer;
(ii) the sponsor shall notify the presiding officer that the sponsor concurs with the original completed fiscal note; or
(iii) the sponsor shall elect to prepare a sponsor's fiscal note rebuttal as provided in subsection (4).
(3) At the time specified as provided in subsection (2)(b), the presiding officer shall refer the original or, if revised, the revised fiscal note to the committee considering the bill. If the bill is printed, the note must be reproduced and placed on the members' desks.
(4) (a) If a sponsor elects to prepare a sponsor's fiscal note rebuttal, the sponsor shall prepare the fiscal note rebuttal on a form provided by the legislative services division and return the completed sponsor's fiscal note rebuttal form to the presiding officer within 4 days of the election to prepare a sponsor's fiscal note rebuttal. The form must identify the bill number, the sponsor of the bill, the date prepared, the version of the fiscal note being rebutted, the reasons the sponsor disagrees with the fiscal note, the items or assumptions in the fiscal note that the sponsor believes are incorrect, and the sponsor's estimate of the fiscal impact, if an estimate is available.
(b) The presiding officer may grant additional time to the sponsor to prepare the sponsor's fiscal note rebuttal.
(c) Upon receipt of the completed sponsor's fiscal note rebuttal form, the presiding officer shall refer it to the committee hearing the bill. If the bill is printed, the form must be identified as a sponsor's fiscal note rebuttal, reproduced, and placed on the members' desks.
History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 53, L. 1965; amd. Sec. 97, Ch. 326, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 321, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 43-1003; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 417, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 224, Ch. 61, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 392, L. 2009.