(1) "Administrative code rule review committee" or "committee" means the appropriate committee provided for assigned subject matter jurisdiction in Title 5, chapter 14. 5, part 2.

(10) "Rule" "Register" means each agency regulation, standard, or statement of general applicability that implements, interprets, or prescribes law or policy or describes the organization, procedures, or practice requirements of an agency. The term includes the amendment or repeal Montana Administrative Register. of a prior rule but does not include:

(a) statements concerning only the internal management of an agency and not affecting private rights or procedures available to the public;

(b) formal opinions of the attorney general and declaratory rulings issued pursuant to 2-4-501;

(c) rules relating to the use of public works, facilities, streets, and highways when the substance of the rules is indicated to the public by means of signs or signals;

(d) seasonal rules adopted annually or biennially relating to hunting, fishing, and trapping when there is a statutory requirement for the publication of the rules and rules adopted annually or biennially relating to the seasonal recreational use of lands and waters owned or controlled by the state when the substance of the rules is indicated to the public by means of signs or signals;

(e) rules implementing the state personnel classification plan, the state wage and salary plan, or the statewide budgeting and accounting system;

(f) uniform rules adopted pursuant to interstate compact, except that the rules must be filed in accordance with 2-4-306 and must be published in the Administrative Rules of Montana.

(11) "Substantive rules" are either:

(11) (a) legislative rules, which if adopted in accordance with this chapter and under expressly delegated authority "Rule" means each agency regulation, standard, or statement of general applicability that implements, interprets, or to promulgate rules to implement a statute have prescribes the law force of law and when not so adopted are invalid; or policy or describes the organization, procedures, or practice requirements of an agency. The term includes the

(b) adjective or interpretive rules, which may be adopted in accordance with this chapter and under The term does not include: express or implied authority to codify an interpretation of a statute. The interpretation lacks the force of law.

(i) statements concerning only the internal management of an agency or state government and not affecting private rights or procedures available to the public, including rules implementing the state personnel classification plan, the state wage and salary plan, or the statewide accounting, budgeting, and human resource system;

(ii) formal opinions of the attorney general and declaratory rulings issued pursuant to 2-4-501;

(iii) rules relating to the use of public works, facilities, streets, and highways when the substance of the rules is indicated to the public by means of signs or signals;

(iv) seasonal rules adopted annually or biennially relating to hunting, fishing, and trapping when there is a statutory requirement for the publication of the rules and rules adopted annually or biennially relating to the seasonal recreational use of lands and waters owned or controlled by the state when the substance of the rules is indicated to the public by means of signs or signals;

(v) uniform rules adopted pursuant to interstate compact, except that the rules must be filed in accordance with 2-4-306 and must be published in the ARM;

(vi) game parameters approved by the state lottery and sports wagering commission relating to a specific lottery game. This subsection (11)(b)(vi) does not exempt generally applicable policies governing the state lottery that are otherwise subject to the Montana Administrative Procedure Act.

(vii) policies relating to sports wagering sales agents' commissions prescribed by the state lottery and sports wagering commission; or

(viii) annual plan documents governed by and published as provided in Title 2, chapter 12, part 1.

(12) (a) "Significant interest to the public" means agency actions under this chapter regarding matters that the agency knows to be of widespread citizen interest. These matters include issues involving a substantial fiscal impact to or controversy involving a particular class or group of individuals.

(b) The term does not extend to contested cases.

(13) "Small business" means a business entity, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated and that employs fewer than 50 full-time employees.

(14) "Substantive rules" are either:

(a) legislative rules, which if adopted in accordance with this chapter and under expressly delegated authority to promulgate rules to implement a statute have the force of law and when not so adopted are invalid; or

(b) adjective or interpretive rules, which may be adopted in accordance with this chapter and under express or implied authority to codify an interpretation of a statute. The interpretation lacks the force of law.

(15) "Supplemental notice" means a notice that amends the proposed rules or changes the timeline for public participation.

(2) (a) "Agency" means an agency, as defined in 2-3-102, of the state state government, except that the provisions of this chapter do not apply to the following:

(i) the state board of pardons and parole, except that which the is board is subject to exempt from the requirements contested case of and 2-4-103, 2-4-201, 2-4-202, and 2-4-306 and its rules must be published judicial review in of contested cases provisions contained in this chapter. However, the Administrative Rules board is subject to of the Montana remainder

(ii) the supervision and administration of a penal institution with regard to the institutional supervision, custody, control, care, or treatment of youths youth or prisoners;

(iii) the board of regents and the Montana university system;

(iv) the financing, construction, and maintenance of public works. works;

(v) the public service commission when conducting arbitration proceedings pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 252 and 69-3-837.

(b) Agency The term does not include a school district, a unit of local government, or any other political subdivision of the state.

(3) "ARM" means the Administrative Rules of Montana.

(4) "Contested case" means a proceeding before an agency in which a determination of legal rights, duties, or privileges of a party is required by law to be made after an opportunity for hearing. The term includes but is not restricted to ratemaking, price fixing, and licensing.

(5) "License" includes the whole or part of any agency permit, certificate, approval, registration, charter, or other form of permission required by law but does not include a license required solely for revenue purposes.

(5) (a) "Interested person" means a person who has expressed to the agency an interest concerning agency actions under this chapter and has requested to be placed on the agency's list of interested persons as to matters of which the person desires to be given notice.

(b) The term does not extend to contested cases.

(6) "Licensing" "License" includes any agency the process respecting the grant, denial, renewal, revocation, suspension, annulment, withdrawal, limitation, transfer, whole or amendment part of a license. an agency permit, certificate, approval, registration, charter, or other form of permission required by law but does not include a license required solely for revenue purposes.

(7) "Party" means a person named or admitted as a party or properly seeking and entitled "Licensing" includes an agency process respecting the grant, denial, renewal, revocation, suspension, annulment, withdrawal, limitation, as transfer, or amendment of right to be admitted as a party, but nothing in this chapter may be construed to prevent an agency from admitting license. any person as a party for limited purposes.

(8) "Person" "Party" means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental subdivision, agency, a person named or public organization of any character. admitted as a party or properly seeking and entitled as of right to be admitted as a party, but this chapter may not be construed to prevent an agency from admitting any person as a party for limited purposes.

(9) "Register" "Person" means the Montana Administrative Register. an individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental subdivision, agency, or public organization of any character.

Definitions

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply: