82-11-131. Privilege and license tax. (1) For the purpose of providing funds for defraying the expenses of the operation and enforcement of this chapter and expenses of the board, an operator or producer of oil and gas shall pay an assessment not to exceed 3/10 of 1% of the market value of each barrel of crude petroleum produced, saved and marketed, or stored within the state or exported from the state and the same rate on the market value of each 10,000 cubic feet of natural gas produced, saved and marketed, or stored within the state or exported from the state.
     (2) The board shall, by rule adopted pursuant to the provisions of the Montana Administrative Procedure Act, fix the amount of the assessment and may from time to time reduce or increase the amount of the assessment as the expenses chargeable against the oil and gas conservation fund may require. However, the assessment fixed by the board may not exceed the limits prescribed in this section. The amount of the assessment must be a percentage factor, not to exceed 100%, of the rate set forth in subsection (1), and the same percentage factor must be applied by the board in fixing the amount of the assessment on each barrel of crude petroleum produced and each 10,000 cubic feet of natural gas produced. A producer of the crude petroleum and natural gas shall pay the assessment on each barrel of crude petroleum and each 10,000 cubic feet of natural gas produced for the producer, as well as for another, including a royalty holder.
     (3) For the purposes of this section, the provisions of Title 15, chapter 36, part 3, apply to the privilege and license tax assessment.

     History: En. Sec. 22, Ch. 238, L. 1953; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 234, L. 1955; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 198, L. 1957; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 47, L. 1961; amd. Sec. 160, Ch. 147, L. 1963; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 315, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 130, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 81, Ch. 253, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 413, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 178, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 254, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 60-145(1) thru (3); amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 201, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 93, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 144, Ch. 370, L. 1987; amd. Secs. 1, 2, Ch. 573, L. 1995.