69th Legislature HJ 28.1
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HJ 28
1 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 28
2 INTRODUCED BY L. MUSZKIEWICZ, M. DUNWELL, T. CROWE, J. KARLEN, G. KMETZ, K. KORTUM, G.
3 PARRY, M. ROMANO, P. TUSS
4
5 A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF
6 MONTANA REQUESTING AN INTERIM STUDY TO IDENTIFY AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO FEDERAL
7 GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STATE OF MONTANA, TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, AND LOCAL
8 GOVERNMENT ENTITIES; AND REQUIRING THAT THE FINAL RESULTS OF THE STUDY BE REPORTED
9 TO THE 70TH LEGISLATURE.
10
11 WHEREAS, although many state agencies have successfully secured significant federal grant funding,
12 feedback from constituents indicates that many grant opportunities remain unused; and
13 WHEREAS, local government entities, especially in small communities and tribal and rural areas of the
14 state, lack the capacity to identify and pursue grant funding; and
15 WHEREAS, a concerted state approach to identifying and securing federal grants may yield significant
16 revenue opportunities for public needs and potentially reduce the proportion of state tax revenue dedicated to
17 those needs, allowing investment of revenue into other areas.
18
19 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF
20 THE STATE OF MONTANA:
21 That the Legislative Council be requested to designate an appropriate interim committee, pursuant to
22 section 5-5-217, MCA, to:
23 (1) identify federal grant funding opportunities that have been available to state, tribal, and local
24 government entities since 2020;
25 (2) identify which of the federal grant funding opportunities pursuant to subsection (1) that state,
26 tribal, and local government entities currently utilize;
27 (3) identify federal grant funding opportunities pursuant to subsection (1) that are either unutilized
28 or underutilized; 69th Legislature HJ 28.1
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1 (4) evaluate why certain federal grant funding opportunities pursuant to subsection (1) are
2 consistently and successfully utilized and why others are not;
3 (5) investigate the existence of any disparities that may be faced by small, tribal, and rural
4 government entities when seeking to identify and secure federal grant funding opportunities pursuant to
5 subsection (1) compared to the state's larger and more urban entities; and
6 (6) recommend strategies and resources that may enhance federal grant acquisition at the state,
7 tribal, and local levels, including addressing any disparities between all levels of state government.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the interim committee work with stakeholders, including executive
9 agencies, tribal governments, local government representatives, and federal government representatives to
10 offer input and proposals.
11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that if the study is assigned to staff, any findings or conclusions be
12 presented to and reviewed by an appropriate committee designated by the Legislative Council.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all aspects of the study, including presentation and review
14 requirements, be concluded prior to September 15, 2026.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the final results of the study, including any findings, conclusions,
16 comments, or recommendations of the appropriate committee, be reported to the 70th Legislature.
17 - END -