[MCN] New Amendment to Investigate Environmental Organizations

[Jeffrey J. Smith]

I believe the Montana Senate just passed an amendment to HB 693 to spend
$250,000 to investigate environmental organizations.

HB0693.001.009.pdf (mt.gov)
<https://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/AmdPublicWeb/HB0693.001.009.pdf>

" NEW SECTION. Section 6. Investigation of environmental organization
compliance. (1) Using its consumer protection oversight and authority in
accordance with Title 30, chapter 14, the department of justice shall
investigate the electioneering and related political and lobbying
activities of environmental organizations

The investigation must include but is not limited to:
(a) if organizations are meeting their exempt purpose as established in
their tax-exempt status;
(b) the composition of environmental organizations operating in Montana and
the number of Montana residents actively signing annual membership
agreements;
(c) funding structures used to provide revenue to environmental
organizations operating in Montana and the percentage of funding provided
by out-of-state sources, out-of-country sources, or both;
(d) potential failure to register as a corporation or business entity with
the Montana secretary of state's office while soliciting monetary or other
support and potentially misleading Montana residents under consumer
protection laws;
(e) engagement in political speech, lobbying, and other politically
motivated activities, including how organizations spend money and provide
for accountability and standard auditing practices for funding and staff
employment; and
(f) interplay between environmental organizations and affiliated funding
sources.

(2) The department shall research, identify, and list all legal actions
involving environmental organizations acting to block or otherwise
influence permitting, licensing, and other governmental action or
regulation since January 1, 2011.

(3) The department shall prepare a report outlining its findings based on
the requirements of this section and provide the report to the legislative
council and the legislature, in accordance with 5-11-210, no later than
December 1, 2022
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