Montana Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers § 69-1-402. Funding of department of public service regulation

(1) All fees collected under this section and any other fees, except as provided in 69-1-114(3), must be deposited in an account in the state special revenue fund to the credit of the department. An appropriation to the department may consist of a base appropriation for regular operating expenses and a contingency appropriation for expenses due to an unanticipated caseload.

(2) In addition to all other licenses, fees, and taxes imposed by law, all regulated companies shall, within 30 days after the close of each calendar quarter, pay to the department of revenue a fee based on a percentage of gross operating revenue reported pursuant to 69-1-223(2)(a), as determined by the department of revenue under 69-1-403.

(3) The amount of money that may be raised by the fee on the regulated companies during a fiscal year may not be increased, except as provided in 69-1-224(1)(c), from the amount appropriated to the department by the legislature for that fiscal year, including both base and contingency appropriations. Any additional money required for operation of the department must be obtained from other sources in a manner authorized by the legislature.