MT HB333

Every Montana city and town must have a police department, but third-class cities and towns may instead contract with a state-recognized local law enforcement agency within their county to meet this requirement.

County sheriffs are required to provide law enforcement services to cities or towns that lack both a police department and a contract with another agency, and those municipalities must pay for the services.

When a city/town and county cannot agree on the price for sheriff-provided law enforcement, the MSU Local Government Center must moderate discussions after 30 days without services, with costs split equally between parties.

If mediation fails within 30 days, the dispute goes to binding arbitration with a mutually agreed arbitrator to determine a fair price, with agreements limited to 2-year maximum terms.

The act expressly supersedes Montana's unfunded mandate laws (MCA 1-2-112 through 1-2-116).