Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 20. EDUCATION

CHAPTER 9. FINANCE

Part 2. Administration of Finances

Definitions And Application

20-9-201. Definitions and application. (1) As used in this title, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, "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). Funds are classified as follows:

(a) A "budgeted fund" means any fund for which a budget must be adopted in order to expend money from the fund. The general fund, transportation fund, bus depreciation reserve fund, tuition fund, retirement fund, debt service fund, building reserve fund, adult education fund, nonoperating fund, and any other funds designated by the legislature are budgeted funds.

(b) A "nonbudgeted fund" means any fund for which a budget is not required in order to expend money on deposit in the fund. The school food services fund, miscellaneous programs fund, building fund, lease or rental agreement fund, traffic education fund, interlocal cooperative fund, internal service fund, impact aid fund, enterprise fund, custodial fund, extracurricular fund, metal mines tax reserve fund, endowment fund, litigation reserve fund, and any other funds designated by the legislature are nonbudgeted funds.

(2) The school financial administration provisions of this title apply to all money of any elementary or high school district. Elementary and high school districts shall record the receipt and disbursement of all money in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The superintendent of public instruction has general supervisory authority as prescribed by law over the school financial administration provisions, as they relate to elementary and high school districts. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules necessary to secure compliance with the law.

(3) Except as otherwise provided by law, whenever the trustees of a district determine that a fund is inactive and will no longer be used, the trustees shall close the fund by transferring all cash and other account balances to any fund considered appropriate by the trustees if the fund does not have a cash or fund balance deficit.

History: (1)En. Sec. 237, Ch. 5, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 424, L. 1977; Sec. 75-6801, R.C.M. 1947; (2)En. Sec. 238, Ch. 5, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 16, Ch. 266, L. 1977; Sec. 75-6802, R.C.M. 1947; R.C.M. 1947, 75-6801, 75-6802; amd. Sec. 22, Ch. 392, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 135, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 34, Ch. 658, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 1, Sp. L. June 1989; amd. Sec. 22, Ch. 11, Sp. L. June 1989; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 568, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 17, Ch. 767, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 17, Ch. 633, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 493, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 356, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 480, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 418, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 185, L. 2019.