Montana Title 17. State Finance § 17-8-103. Expenditures in excess of appropriation unlawful--conditions in appropriation acts

(1) It shall be unlawful for the board of trustees, executive board, managerial staff, president, deans and faculty, or any other authority of any state institution maintained in whole or in part by the state or any officer, department, board, commission, or bureau, having charge of the disbursement or expenditure of the income provided by legislative appropriation or otherwise, to expend, contract for the expenditure, or to incur or permit the incurring of any obligation whatsoever, in any one year, in excess of the legislative appropriation, including any approved, authorized, and valid budget amendment, provided for such year or for any supervisory board or authority either directly or indirectly to authorize, direct, or order any such institution, officer, department, board, commission, or bureau to increase any expenditures, except as specifically provided by law. It shall be and is hereby made the duty of any and all of such institutions, officers, departments, boards, commissions, and bureaus to keep such expenditures, obligations, and liabilities within the amount of such legislative appropriation, which includes an approved, authorized, and valid budget amendment.

(2) A condition or limitation contained in an appropriation act shall govern the administration and expenditure of the appropriation until the appropriation has been expended for the purpose set forth in the act or until such condition or limitation is changed by a subsequent appropriation act. In no event does a condition or limitation contained in an appropriation act amend any other statute.