15-6-156. Class thirteen property -- description -- taxable percentage. (1) Except as provided in subsections (2)(a) through (2)(i), class thirteen property includes:

(a) electrical generation facilities, except wind generation facilities, biomass generation facilities, and energy storage facilities classified under 15-6-157, of a centrally assessed electric power company;

(b) electrical generation facilities, except wind generation facilities, biomass generation facilities, and energy storage facilities classified under 15-6-157, owned or operated by an exempt wholesale generator or an entity certified as an exempt wholesale generator pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 16451;

(c) noncentrally assessed electrical generation facilities, except wind generation facilities, biomass generation facilities, and energy storage facilities classified under 15-6-157, owned or operated by any electrical energy producer;

(d) allocations of centrally assessed telecommunications services companies; and

(e) dedicated communications infrastructure described in 15-6-162(5) for which construction commenced after June 30, 2027, or for which the 15-year period provided for in 15-6-162(5)(c) has expired.

(2) Class thirteen property does not include:

(a) property owned by cooperative rural electric cooperative associations classified under 15-6-135;

(b) property owned by cooperative rural electric cooperative associations classified under 15-6-137 or 15-6-157;

(c) allocations of electric power company property under 15-6-141;

(d) electrical generation facilities included in another class of property;

(e) property owned by cooperative rural telephone associations and classified under 15-6-135;

(f) property owned by organizations providing telecommunications services and classified under 15-6-135;

(g) generation facilities that are exempt under 15-6-225;

(h) qualified data centers classified under 15-6-162; and

(i) property classified under 15-6-163.

(3) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(a) (i) "Electrical generation facilities" means any combination of a physically connected generator or generators, associated prime movers, and other associated property, including appurtenant land and improvements and personal property, that are normally operated together to produce electric power. The term includes but is not limited to generating facilities that produce electricity from coal-fired steam turbines, oil or gas turbines, turbine generators that are driven by falling water, or solar panel systems.

(ii) The term does not include electrical generation facilities used for noncommercial purposes or exclusively for agricultural purposes.

(iii) (A) The term also does not include a qualifying facility certified by the federal energy regulatory commission.

(B) To qualify for consideration of an abatement as allowed in 15-24-1402, the requesting entity must disclose, in writing, its intent to request certification as a qualifying facility to the governing body.

(C) If the intent is not disclosed and an abatement granted, abatement may be rescinded by the governing body.

(D) Certified qualifying facilities are classified under 15-6-134 and 15-6-138.

(iv) The term also does not include a facility that is owned and operated by a person not primarily engaged in the generation or sale of electricity other than power from a small power production facility and classified under 15-6-134 and 15-6-138.

(b) (i) "Fiber optic or coaxial cable" means any fiber optic or coaxial cable, including all capitalized costs associated with installing and placing in service the fiber optic or coaxial cable, and other property that is normally operated when installing and placing in service fiber optic or coaxial cable to deliver digital communication and access to the internet.

(ii) The term does not include routers, head-end equipment, central office equipment and other electronics, or hardware or software not directly associated with installing and placing in service fiber optic or coaxial cable or the buildings used to house equipment.

(4) (a) Except as provided in subsection (4)(b), class thirteen property is taxed at 6% of its market value.

(b) (i) Except as provided in subsection (4)(b)(ii), fiber optic or coaxial cable installed and placed in service on or after July 1, 2021, is exempt from taxation for a period of 5 years starting from the date the fiber optic or coaxial cable was placed in service, after which the property exemption is phased out at a rate of 20% a year, with the property being assessed at 100% of its taxable value after a 10-year period. In order to maintain the exemption, the owner of fiber optic or coaxial cable shall reinvest the tax savings from the exemption by installing and placing in service new fiber optic or coaxial cable in Montana within 2 years from the date the owner first claimed the exemption provided for in this subsection (4)(b) without charging those costs to the consumer. The cost of installing or placing into service fiber optic or coaxial cable with the reinvested tax savings without charging those costs to the consumer must be equal to or greater than the value of the tax savings received from the tax incentive.

(ii) Fiber optic or coaxial cable installed using federal funds received pursuant to Section 9901 of the American Rescue Plan Act is not eligible for exemption from taxation under this section.

(iii) An entity that claims a tax exemption under this subsection (4)(b) shall maintain adequate books and records demonstrating the investment the owner made when installing and placing in service fiber optic or coaxial cable in Montana. The property owners shall make those records available to the department for inspection upon request.

(5) (a) The property taxes exempted from taxation by subsection (4)(b) are subject to termination or recapture if the department determines that the owner failed to install and place in service new coaxial or fiber cable in Montana as provided in subsection (4)(b) or otherwise violates the provisions of this section.

(b) Upon notice from the department that the owner's exemption has terminated, any local governing body may recapture taxes previously exempted in that jurisdiction, plus interest and penalties for nonpayment of property taxes as provided in 15-16-102, during any tax year in which an exemption under the provisions of this section was improper. Any recapture must occur within 10 years after the end of the calendar year in which the exemption was first claimed.

(c) The recapture of abated taxes may be cancelled, in whole or in part, if the local governing body determines that the taxpayer's failure to meet the requirements is a result of circumstances beyond the control of the taxpayer.