Passenger rail bill derails on Montana’s Senate floor

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority will likely not see state funding from this session.

House Bill 848, which would have taken $2 million from the railroad car tax and directed it to the authority, failed 23-27 on second reading in the Senate. The tax brings in about $4 million annually and the money currently goes into the general fund.

On the floor, the legislation saw some support, while detractors, including Majority Leader Tom McGillvary, R-Billings, essentially said passenger rail expansion was a fever dream.

Jordan Hansen