Benzinga - The Montana State Senate has approved a bill to protect cryptocurrency miners from a range of possible actions against the industry, including discriminatory utility rates and zoning restrictions.
The proposed legislation passed 37-13 in the Senate and now awaits approval in the state's House.
The bill aims to protect at-home mining and prevent local governments from retroactively shutting down active operations through zoning laws.
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It also states that cryptocurrency used as payment will not be subjected to extra taxes.
Montana Senator Daniel Zolnikov, a Republican, told Coindesk "these protections will send a message that we are open to embracing the digital asset mining industry."
The proposed law may upend a 2020 Missoula County zoning ordinance that required all Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) miners to buy or construct renewable energy assets equal to their energy usage.
Environmentalists and U.S. lawmakers have targeted Bitcoin miners for their potential impact on carbon neutrality goals and electricity grids.
The Bitcoin advocacy group Satoshi Action Fund helped draft the language in the Bill.
Satoshi Action Fund CEO Dennis Porter said that "there is still more work to be done in Montana, but as a new organization we feel confident about the progress we have made."
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