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Fact check: Did Montana spending increase $800 million under Steve Bullock?
November 1, 2016
By Cory Eucalitto
Republican Greg Gianforte is challenging Democratic incumbent Steve Bullock in Montana’s 2016 gubernatorial race. In an October 8th debate, Gianforte cited as a core issue that “state spending under this current governor has gone up over $800 million.”[1]
Is Gianforte correct? Has state spending increased by more than $800 million during Gov. Bullock’s time in office?
Yes. General fund spending approved under the General Appropriations Act for Montana’s biennial budget has increased by $801.5 million under Gov. Bullock. However, this does not account for total state spending, and the governor does not unilaterally control the state budget process.
Background
Montana uses a biennial budget process, which means that budgets are prepared and adopted for two-year periods. Some 20 states use a biennial budget process.[2]
Montana’s budget process begins when the governor sends to the legislature a proposed budget. The legislature debates, amends, and votes on a final budget bill that details spending for two fiscal years. The governor must sign the budget legislation before July 1, the start of Montana’s fiscal year.[3] The biennial budget bill is typically referred to in the legislative process as HB-2, or the General Appropriations Act.[4]
Montana has had a divided government since Bullock took office, with a Republican-led legislature. It is one of 20 states (prior to the November 2016 election), it is one of 20 states without a state government trifecta.
Gov. Bullock took office in January 2013, and has signed two budget bills into law. The first covered fiscal years 2014 and 2015; the second for fiscal years 2016 and 2017.[5][6] Former Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Bullock’s predecessor, signed the budget bill for fiscal years 2012 and 2013.[7]
General fund HB-2 spending
Gianforte’s campaign told Ballotpedia that he was referring to biennial general fund spending authorized under HB-2 when claiming that spending has increased by $800 million under Gov. Bullock.[8]
The state’s general fund budget authorized under HB-2 for the 2012-2013 biennium, Schweitzer’s last, was $3,249.7 million.[9] The HB-2 general fund budget for the 2016-2017 biennium totaled $4,051.2 million, an increase of $801.5 million (25 percent).[10]
| Biennium | General fund budget, HB-2 only (in millions) |
|---|---|
| 2016-2017 | $4,051.2 |
| 2014-2015 | $3,249.7 |
| Difference | $801.5 |
All state spending
Montana has five major funds: the state special revenue fund; the federal special revenue fund; the coal severance tax fund; the land grant fund; and the general fund.[11] The general fund is a catch-all for revenue and spending that is not assigned to a specially designated fund.
Further, the legislature makes additional appropriations each year outside of the General Appropriations Act (HB-2) Thus, total approved spending, across all funds and spending bills for the 2012-2013 biennium was $10,538.4 million.[12] For the 2016-2017 biennium, it was $12,114 million. The total increase between the two budgets is $1,575.6 million (15 percent).[10]
The Legislature
A governor’s role in the state budget process includes proposing a budget to the legislature, negotiating with lawmakers, and vetoing or signing the budget bill as passed by the legislature.
For the 2014-2015 biennium, Gov. Bullock proposed $10,418.8 million in total spending.[13] Total spending approved by the legislature and signed by Bullock was $10,917.7 million, or $498.9 million more than Bullock originally requested.[14] (Bullock also vetoed roughly $34 million from the General Appropriations Act.)[15]
For the 2016-2017 biennium, Gov. Bullock proposed $12,753 million in total spending.[16]
Total approved spending was $12,114 million, or $639 million less than Gov. Bullock originally proposed.[10] (He issued roughly $13 million in vetoes.)[17]
| (figures in millions) | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Total enacted | $10,917.7 | $12,114.0 |
| Total proposed | $10,418.8 | $12,753.0 |
| Difference | $498.9 | -$639.0 |
Conclusion
In an October 8th debate, Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte claimed that general fund spending under the General Appropriations Act increased by $800 million during incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock’s time in office.
Gianforte is correct, although his claim reflects only a portion of state spending. General fund spending authorized by HB-2 increased $801.5 million between the 2012-2013 biennial budget signed by the previous governor, and the 2016-2017 biennial budget signed by Gov. Bullock.
However, the governor does not unilaterally control the state budget — the legislature also plays a significant role in the budget process — and total state spending between the two biennial budgets increased $1,575.6 million.
See also
Launched in October 2015 and active through October 2018, Fact Check by Ballotpedia examined claims made by elected officials, political appointees, and political candidates at the federal, state, and local levels. We evaluated claims made by politicians of all backgrounds and affiliations, subjecting them to the same objective and neutral examination process. As of 2025, Ballotpedia staff periodically review these articles to revaluate and reaffirm our conclusions. Please email us with questions, comments, or concerns about these articles. To learn more about fact-checking, click here.
Sources and Notes
- ↑ KPAX.com, "Bullock-Gianforte Debate, Part 2," accessed October 24, 2016
- ↑ National Association of State Budget Officers, “Budget Processes in the States,” accessed October 24, 2016, (page 3)
- ↑ Ballotpedia.org, “Montana state budget and finances,” accessed October 24, 2016
- ↑ The Montana Legislature, “Budget Basics,” accessed October 31, 2016
- ↑ The Montana Legislature, “2013 January Regular Legislative Session, HB 2, General Appropriations Act,” accessed October 24, 2016
- ↑ The Montana Legislature, “2015 January Regular Legislative Session, HB 2, General Appropriations Act,” accessed October 24, 2016
- ↑ The Montana Legislature, “2011 January Regular Legislative Session, HB 2, General Appropriations Act,” accessed October 24, 2016
- ↑ Cory Eucalitto, "Email communication with the Greg Gianforte campaign," October 10, 2016
- ↑ Montana Legislative Fiscal Division, "Fiscal Report for the 2013 Biennium,” accessed October 31, 2016 (pg. 56)
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Montana Legislative Fiscal Division, “2017 Biennium Budget Books, Fiscal Report,” accessed October 31, 2016 (pg. 23)
- ↑ Montana State Financial Services Division, “Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the year ended June 30, 2015,” accessed October 24, 2016, (page 22)
- ↑ Montana Legislative Fiscal Division, "Fiscal Report for the 2013 Biennium," accessed October 31, 2016 (pg. 47)
- ↑ Montana Legislative Fiscal Division, "Legislative Budget Analysis of the Governor Bullock January 7 Budget Submission 2015 Biennium," accessed October 31, 2016 (pg. 31)
- ↑ Montana Legislative Fiscal Division, “2013 Session Legislative Fiscal Report for the 2015 Biennium,” accessed October 31, 2016 (pg. 41)
- ↑ The Montana Legislature, “2013 January Legislative Session, HB 2, Governor’s Line Item Veto,” May 3, 2013
- ↑ Montana Legislative Fiscal Division, “2017 Biennium Budget Books, Budget Analysis”, accessed October 31, 2016, (pg. 15)
- ↑ The Montana Legislature, “2015 January Legislative Session, HB 2, Governor’s Line Item Veto,” May 5, 2015
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