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1 HOUSE BILL NO. 182
2 INTRODUCED BY J. FITZPATRICK, P. TUSS, E. BOLDMAN, W. MCKAMEY, J. KASSMIER, G. LAMMERS,
3 V. MOORE, L. BENNETT, D. HARVEY, C. KEOGH, K. WALSH, B. BARKER
4
5 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT CREATING A SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER GRANT PROGRAM TO
6 FUND CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR PROJECTS, AND EQUIPMENT
7 PURCHASES; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; ALLOWING APPROPRIATIONS TO CONTINUE INTO
8 THE 2027 AND 2029 BIENNIUMS; PROVIDING AN EXCLUSION FROM CERTAIN PARTS IN TITLE 75;
9 PROVIDING LEGISLATIVE INTENT; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND A TERMINATION DATE.”
10
11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
12
13 NEW SECTION. Section 1. For the purposes of [sections 1 through 6], unless otherwise
14 provided, the following definitions apply:
15 (1) "Senior citizen" means a person over 60 years of age.
16 (2) (a) "Senior citizen center" means a facility operated by a nonprofit corporation or a
17 governmental organization that provides services to senior citizens in the form of daytime or evening meals,
18 educational programs, or recreational activities. Services qualifying under this definition must be recognized in
19 the state plan on aging adopted by the department of public health and human services.
20 (b) The term does not include a facility that provides living accommodations to senior citizens.
21
22 NEW SECTION. Section 2. (1) There is a
23 senior citizen center infrastructure account within the state special revenue fund provided for in 17-2-102 to
24 provide grant funding to nonprofit corporations that provide services to senior citizens and for administrative
25 costs related to administering the grants. The department of commerce shall administer the account.
26 (2) Up to 3% of the funds appropriated in [section 8] may be allocated for the department's
27 administrative costs.
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1 NEW SECTION. Section 3. (1) The
2 department of commerce is authorized to make up to $5 million in grants to nonprofit corporations for property
3 acquisition, construction, space acquisition, remodeling, repairs, and the purchase of appliances and
4 equipment. The grants authorized in this section are subject to the conditions set forth in [section 5].
5 (2) The department of commerce must receive proposals from nonprofit corporations for senior
6 citizen center infrastructure projects.
7 (3) Funding for projects may be provided only as long as there are sufficient funds available from
8 the amount that was deposited or transferred in the senior citizen center infrastructure account for grants
9 established in [section 2]. Funding for these projects must be made available in the order that the grant
10 recipients satisfy the conditions described in [section 5].
11
12 NEW SECTION. Section 4. (1) A
13 nonprofit corporation may apply to the department of commerce for senior citizen center infrastructure grants
14 under [section 3].
15 (2) Nonprofit corporations shall submit grant applications to the department of commerce in order
16 to be eligible for funding under [section 3].
17 (3) The department of commerce is authorized to adopt guidelines necessary to implement
18 [sections 3 through 5].
19
20 NEW SECTION. Section 5. . (1) The disbursement of
21 grant funds for the projects chosen by the department of commerce pursuant to [section 3] is subject to the
22 following conditions:
23 (a) for grants in an amount of $25,000 or more, the grant recipient shall document the availability
24 of matching funds or in-kind contribution of assets with an appraised value from private sources representing at
25 least $1 in value for each $1 of the grant;
26 (b) the grant recipient shall execute a grant agreement with the department of commerce that
27 includes a project management plan and reporting requirements to track the outcomes of allocated grants; and
28 (c) the grant recipient shall satisfy other specific requirements considered necessary by the - 2025
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1 department of commerce to accomplish the purpose of the project as evidenced by the application to the
2 department of commerce.
3 (2) Projects must adhere to the design standards required by applicable regulations. Recipients of
4 program funds for projects that are not subject to any design standards must comply with generally accepted
5 industry standards.
6 (3) If actual project expenses are lower than the projected expense of the project, the department
7 of commerce shall reduce the amount of grant funds to be provided to grant recipients.
8
9 NEW SECTION. Section 6.
10 (1) The amount of state funding allocated to entities within any individual county under [sections 3
11 through 5] may not exceed $350,000. No more than two applications may be funded in any one county.
12 (2) The amount of a grant to any single project may not exceed $250,000.
13
14 NEW SECTION. SECTION 7. XCLUSION. TTITLE 75, CHAPTER 1, PARTS 1 AND 2, DO
15[].
16
17 NEW SECTION. Section 8. (1) It is the intent of the legislature that [this act] be
18 quickly implemented by the department of commerce and that the department develop and implement a grant
19 application process that is efficient and user-friendly. The application must include:
20 (a) the name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the applicant, the name of the
21 contact person, and the contact person's contact information, if different from the applicant;
22 (b) a statement of the problem or problems the applicant is experiencing that the grant is expected
23 to address. Examples include repairing a leaky roof, replacing an obsolete stove, or insufficient insulation in the
24 building.
25 (c) a list of activities the applicant plans to undertake using the grant funds to address the
26 identified problem or problems. Examples include replacing the roof, purchasing a new stove, or adding 18
27 inches of fiber fill insulation to the attic.
28 (d) a cost estimate for each of the proposed activities to be undertaken by the applicant. The - 2025
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1 estimate must be supported by documents from contractors, equipment vendors, and other parties who plan to
2 provide services to the applicant.
3 (e) a schedule of when the proposed project is to commence and be completed; and
4 (f) clear evidence that the applicant has the required cash match for the grant. This can include
5 copies of bank statements or letters from the applicant's bank or financial manager testifying to the availability
6 of matching funds. Statements that promise matching funds in the future or claims that the applicant is seeking
7 additional grant funding are not acceptable.
8 (2) Governmental applicants are required to follow the public notice and public participation
9 requirements contained in Article II, sections 8 and 9, of the Montana constitution and Title 7 of the Montana
10 Code Annotated. Nongovernmental applicants are not required to meet this requirement.
11 (3) Applicants must be recognized units of government in Montana or legally incorporated in the
12 state of Montana and be in good standing with the secretary of state. Individuals and partnerships are ineligible
13 for funding.
14 (4) Within 10 days of receipt of a grant application, the department shall conduct a completeness
15 review to ensure that all parts of the application are present. If incomplete, the department shall notify the
16 applicant in writing of any deficiencies and provide the applicant with 15 days to correct the deficiencies.
17 (5) Applications may be submitted to the department electronically or in written form.
18 (6) The applicant must have a financial system that segregates the grant and matching funds in a
19 separate account to ensure that the funds are not commingled with other money managed by the applicant.
20 The accounting system must be capable of accurately tracking project revenues and expenditures.
21 (7) The applicant shall submit a quarterly progress report with the department providing a narrative
22 statement of the activities undertaken and completed as well as a statement showing expenditures made during
23 the previous 3 months supported by copies of the invoices paid.
24 (8) The applicant shall enter into a contract with the department in order to receive funds under a
25 grant award. Funds will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis by the department.
26
27 NEW SECTION. Section 9. By July 1, 2025, the state treasurer shall transfer $5
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1
2 NEW SECTION. Section 10. There is appropriated $5 million from the senior citizen
3 center infrastructure account established in [section 2] to the department of commerce for the biennium
4 beginning July 1, 2025, for grants authorized in [sections 3 through 5]. Appropriations are authorized to
5 continue through the biennium beginning July 1, 2029.
6
7 NEW SECTION. Section 11. [This act] is effective July 1, 2025.
8
9 NEW SECTION. Section 12. [This act] terminates June 30, 2031.
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