By Clayton Murphy | UM Community News Service
HELENA — It’s now up to Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte to pick between two conservation-focused models for distributing state marijuana revenue—an account that drew in nearly $60 million in 2024.
Billings Republican Sen. Daniel Zolnikov’s Senate Bill 537 allocates 31 percent of that fund to law enforcement grants and 14 percent to a state behavioral health and disabilities program.
Twin Bridges Republican Rep. Ken Walsh’s House Bill 932 sends the money to the state’s general fund.
The original ballot measure that Montana voters approved in 2020 included setting aside revenue for “conservation programs, substance abuse treatment, veterans’ services, healthcare costs, and localities where marijuana is sold.”
Great Falls Republican Sen. Jeremy Trebas argued that under Walsh’s bill, general fund money would be better spent on law enforcement and education.
“I think Montanans would appreciate this money being used—I’ve heard this a lot—being used to fund the things that our property taxes go towards first,” Trebas said.
Both new models set aside 20 percent to a newly created “habitat legacy account,” which would fund the improvement and purchase of wildlife habitat land, state water projects and other conservation projects that involve public access.
In the past, that same 20 percent was sent to Fish, Wildlife and Parks for the sole purpose of buying and maintaining wildlife habitat.
In support of HB 932, Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers of Belgrade said this change helps better protect those habitats.
“This gives us an opportunity to address things like insects and disease and weed control that go across those property lines,” Flowers said.
Both bills also direct tax revenue to a state fund that supports addiction-focused behavioral health programs across the state. The program is currently capped at $6 million in marijuana revenue funding—Walsh’s bill would change that to 11 percent of the marijuana fund, and Zolnikov’s would cap it at 12 percent.
Clayton Murphy is a reporter with the UM Legislative News Service, a partnership of the University of Montana School of Journalism, the Montana Broadcasters Association, the Montana Newspaper Association and the Greater Montana Foundation. Murphy can be reached at clayton.murphy@umconnect.umt.edu.
By Clayton Murphy | UM Community News Service HELENA — It’s now up to Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte to pick between two conservation-focused models for distributing state marijuana revenue—an account that drew in nearly $60 million in 2024. Billings Republican Sen. Daniel Zolnikov’s Senate Bill 537 allocates 31 percent of that fund to law enforcement grants Read More
