Montana lawmakers hear requests for $22.5 million in historic‑preservation grants as lodging‑tax share shifts

Representative John Fitzpatrick opened the Subcommittee F hearing on House Bill 12, which would set legislative appropriations for the Montana Historic Preservation Grant Program and consider a ranked list of recommended projects.

The bill funds the program with receipts from Montana’s lodging or accommodations taxes. Fitzpatrick told the committee the program was created in 2019 as part of the Montana Heritage Center authorization and that the account will receive a somewhat larger lodging‑tax share beginning this year. “The program is administered by the Montana Department of Commerce and refunded by receipts received from the lodging tax,” he said, adding the lodging‑tax distribution that supported the program will increase from 5 percent to 6 percent in the coming year.