17-7-131. Legislative action -- ending fund balance. (1) The presiding officers of the house of representatives and of the senate shall promptly refer the budgets and budget bills to the proper committees. The budget bill for the maintenance of the agencies of state government and the state institutions must be based upon the budget and proposed budget bill submitted at the request of the governor. The legislature may amend the proposed budget bill, but it may not amend the proposed budget bill so as to affect either the obligations of the state or the payment of any salaries required to be paid by the constitution and laws of the state.
(2) The adopted budget must be limited so that a positive ending general fund balance exists at the end of the biennium for which funds are appropriated.
(3) When possible, the adopted budget should be limited so that the ending fund balance of the general fund is greater than or equal to the amount of the operating reserve.
History: En. Sec. 6, Ch. 205, L. 1919; re-en. Sec. 299, R.C.M. 1921; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 167, L. 1933; re-en. Sec. 299, R.C.M. 1935; Sec. 79-1006, R.C.M. 1947; amd. and redes. 79-1015.1 by Sec. 30, Ch. 326, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 79-1015.1; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 607, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 429, L. 2017.
Structure Montana Code Annotated
Chapter 7. Budgeting and Appropriations
Part 1. Budget Systems and Program Plans
17-7-103. Governor chief budget officer -- appointment of budget director
17-7-107. through 17-7-110 reserved
17-7-111. Preparation of state budget -- agency program budgets -- form distribution and contents
17-7-112. Submission deadlines -- budgeting schedule
17-7-113. Inquiries and investigations by budget director
17-7-115. through 17-7-120 reserved
17-7-121. Preliminary budget preparation and submission to governor and governor-elect
17-7-122. Preparation of budget
17-7-123. Form of executive budget
17-7-124. Additional budget data
17-7-125. through 17-7-129 reserved
17-7-130. Budget stabilization reserve fund -- rules for deposits and transfers -- purpose
17-7-131. Legislative action -- ending fund balance
17-7-132. Right to appear on consideration of budget
17-7-133. through 17-7-137 reserved
17-7-140. Reduction in spending
17-7-143. through 17-7-149 reserved
17-7-152. Expenditure comparison
17-7-153. State contributions to local government -- expenditure comparison
17-7-154. Expenditures for district courts and office of public defender
17-7-155. through 17-7-159 reserved
17-7-160. Montana highway patrol exempt from vacancy savings
17-7-161. Game warden positions exempt from vacancy savings
17-7-162. Montana school for the deaf and blind exempt from vacancy savings