• The western state of Montana has passed a new bill to protect the rights of cryptocurrency miners.
• This bill forbids any form of discrimination against crypto miners and prevents the local government from restricting home mining.
• Last week, Mississippi also passed a similar bill that allowed for the installation of crypto-mining equipment in residential areas.
Montana Passes New Bill Protecting Crypto Miners’ Rights
The western state of Montana has recently passed a new bill aimed at protecting the rights of cryptocurrency miners. The proposed bill seeks to give miners freedom by forbidding any form of discrimination over electricity rates charged as well as protect the act of home mining. Additionally, it also neutralizes the local government’s power to restrict at-home mining or use zoning laws to shut down active operations of crypto mining.
Missoula’s Proposal Last Year
The newly proposed bill is said to favor Missoula’s previously proposed bill passed in 2020 which suggested all bitcoin miners in the country purchase or build renewable energy assets parallel to the amount regarding energy they consume.
Votes In Favor Of The Bill
So far, the Montana bill has received 37 votes in its favor and about 13 against it. If approved by House Representatives, it will move on to its final stage which requires Governor Greg Gianforte’s signature for confirmation into law. Once confirmed, an additional tax on using cryptocurrency as a payment method will be terminated, and digital assets such as cryptocurrencies and nonfungible tokens (NFTs) will be marked as “personal property” just like stocks and bonds.
Mississippi Senate Joins In The Support
In addition to Montana, other states have shown support for crypto miners too. Last week, Mississippi senate also passed a similar bill that allows for installation of crypto-mining equipment in residential areas without having them face discrimination or restrictions from their local governments.
Conclusion
With more states joining in with protection bills for cryptocurrency miners, users can expect increased security and safety when engaging in activities related to digital currencies such as trading and mining.