Montana Code Annotated
Part 1. Budget Systems and Program Plans
17-7-138. Operating budget

17-7-138. Operating budget. (1) (a) Expenditures by a state agency must be made in substantial compliance with the budget approved by the legislature. Substantial compliance may be determined by conformity to the conditions contained in the general appropriations act and to legislative intent as established in the narrative accompanying the general appropriations act. An explanation of any significant change in agency or program scope must be submitted on a regular basis to the interim committee that has program evaluation and monitoring functions for the agency pursuant to Title 5, chapter 5, part 2, [and to the appropriate interim budget committee in accordance with 5-12-501]. An explanation of any significant change in agency or program scope, objectives, activities, or expenditures must be submitted to the legislative fiscal analyst for review and comment by the legislative finance committee prior to any implementation of the change. A significant change may not conflict with a condition contained in the general appropriations act. If the approving authority certifies that a change is time-sensitive, the approving authority may approve the change prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the legislative finance committee. The approving authority shall submit all proposed time-sensitive changes to the legislative fiscal analyst prior to approval. If the legislative fiscal analyst determines that notification of the legislative finance committee is warranted, the legislative fiscal analyst shall immediately notify as many members as possible of the proposed change and communicate any concerns expressed to the approving authority. The approving authority shall present a report fully explaining the reasons for the action to the next meeting of the legislative finance committee. Except as provided in subsection (2), the expenditure of money appropriated in the general appropriations act is contingent upon approval of an operating budget by August 1 of each fiscal year. An approved original operating budget must comply with state law and conditions contained in the general appropriations act.
(b) For the purposes of this subsection (1), an agency or program is considered to have a significant change in its scope, objectives, activities, or expenditures if:
(i) the operating budget change exceeds $1 million; or
(ii) the operating budget change exceeds 25% of a budget category and the change is greater than $75,000. If there have been other changes to the budget category in the current fiscal year, all the changes, including the change under consideration, must be used in determining the 25% and $75,000 threshold.
(2) The expenditure of money appropriated in the general appropriations act to the board of regents, on behalf of the university system units, as defined in 17-7-102, is contingent upon approval of a comprehensive operating budget by October 1 of each fiscal year. The operating budget must contain detailed revenue and expenditures and anticipated fund balances of current funds, loan funds, endowment funds, and plant funds. After the board of regents approves operating budgets, transfers between units may be made only with the approval of the board of regents. Transfers and related justification must be submitted to the office of budget and program planning and to the legislative fiscal analyst.
(3) The operating budget for money appropriated by the general appropriations act must be separate from the operating budget for money appropriated by another law except a law appropriating money for the state pay plan or any portion of the state pay plan. The legislature may restrict the use of funds appropriated for personal services to allow use only for the purpose of the appropriation. Each operating budget must include expenditures for each agency program, detailed at least by first-level categories as provided in 17-1-102(3). Each agency shall record its operating budget for all funds, other than higher education funds, and any approved changes on the statewide accounting, budgeting, and human resource system. Documents implementing approved changes must be signed. The operating budget for higher education funds must be recorded on the university financial system, with separate accounting categories for each source or use of state government funds. State sources and university sources of funds may be combined for the general operating portion of the current unrestricted funds. (Bracketed language terminates December 31, 2025--sec. 12, Ch. 525, L. 2021.)
History: En. Sec. 8, Ch. 787, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 8, Sp. L. July 1992; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 11, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 347, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 255, L. 2001; amd. Secs. 5, 13, Ch. 569, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 547, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 58, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 38, Ch. 2, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 226, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 525, L. 2021.

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