Thursday, March 28, 2024

Montana nonprofits and new law

I would like to respond to the Journeys in Faith column in the Stillwater County News Dec. 10, 2015 titled “Montana non profits must reapply for their exempt status” by Pastor Jay Forseth.
Pastor Forseth is certainly entitled to state his opinion. The church our family attends also received a renewal notice, like the one Pastor Forseth’s congregation received.
The new law, that no one seems to know anything about is MCA 15-6-201.
This new law came about from HB389, introduced by Rep. Jeff Essman of Billings during the 2015 Legislative session. Reading the text of HB389, found online, it seems as though it is an attempt to stop some that have been improperly claiming exempt status and cheating the nonprofit exempt status churches, etc enjoy here in Stillwater County and Montana as a whole.
Pastor Forseth states both local state legislators he talked to knew nothing of the new law. The facts are both local legislators, Rep. Forrest Mandeville and Sen.David Howard,voted in favor of HB389 on the third and final reading in each house, each should be aware of that fact. To be useful, information has to be complete, honest and transparent. Information, related to our Legislature and laws is online or available from legislative services for anyone to ask questions and find answers.

JW Westman
Park City