17-2-108. Expenditure of nongeneral fund money first. (1) Except for the exemptions applicable to the Montana historical society in 22-3-114(5), the Montana state library in 22-1-226(5), the Montana school for the deaf and blind in 20-8-107(5), and the department of public health and human services in 53-1-612, an office or entity of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state government shall apply expenditures against appropriated nongeneral fund money whenever possible before using general fund appropriations.

(2) Except as provided in 53-1-612, the approving authority, as defined in 17-7-102, shall authorize the decrease of the general fund appropriation of an agency by the amount of money received from federal sources in excess of the appropriation in an appropriation act unless the decrease is contrary to federal law, federal rule, or a contract or unless the approving authority certifies that the services to be funded by the additional money are significantly different than those for which the agency received the general fund appropriation. If directed by an appropriation act, the approving authority shall decrease the general fund appropriation of an agency by the amount of money received from nonfederal sources in excess of the appropriation unless the decrease is contrary to state law, state rule, or a contract or unless the approving authority certifies that the services to be funded by the additional money are significantly different than those for which the agency received the general fund appropriation. If the general fund appropriation of an agency is decreased pursuant to this section, the appropriation for the fund in which the money is received is increased in the amount of the general fund decrease.

(3) If directed by an appropriation act, the approving authority may decrease a state special revenue, proprietary, or other fund appropriation of an agency by the amount of money received from federal sources in excess of the appropriation unless the decrease is contrary to state or federal law or federal rule. The appropriation for the fund in which the money is received is decreased by the amount of the federal special revenue increase allowed by law, rule, or contract and approved for the purpose.