20-3-369. State school health trust operating reserve account — distribution and uses. (1) There is a state school health trust operating reserve account in the state special revenue fund provided for in 17-2-102. The purpose of the account is to provide a one-time-only distribution of incentive funding to the first self-funded district health insurance trust that is qualified by the state auditor pursuant to 20-3-366.

Terms Used In Montana Code 20-3-369

  • district: means the territory, regardless of county boundaries, organized under the provisions of this title to provide public educational services under the jurisdiction of the trustees prescribed by this title. See Montana Code 20-6-101
  • fund: means a separate detailed account of receipts and expenditures for a specific purpose as authorized by law or by the superintendent of public instruction under the provisions of subsection (2). See Montana Code 20-9-201
  • school: means an institution for the teaching of children that is established and maintained under the laws of the state of Montana at public expense. See Montana Code 20-6-501
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201

(2)The state school health trust operating reserve account is statutorily appropriated, as provided in 17-7-502, to the office of public instruction for distribution as provided in this section.

(3)If a trust has been qualified by the state auditor on or before June 30, 2026, for initial operation beginning July 1, 2026, the superintendent shall, on July 1, 2026, distribute $40 million to the district health insurance trust. The qualifying district health insurance trust shall use the funds to stabilize health insurance costs through capitalization of an operating reserve for the district members of the trust.

(4)If a trust has not been qualified by June 30, 2026, the account balance must be transferred to the capital developments long-range building program account for uses consistent with 17-7-209.