Montanans now have until July 15 to pay their state income tax, Gov. Steve Bullock announced Friday during his daily press briefing about the coronavirus outbreak.
During the afternoon teleconference, Bullock also announced two more coronavirus cases in the state: A female in her 50s in Madison County and a male in his 30s in Lewis and Clark County. The two new cases bring the state’s total to 17, as of Friday afternoon.
Bullock’s decision to push the tax filing deadline from April 15 to July 15 came the same day that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced that the federal government would also push its tax date back three months. Mnuchin said the decision to delay the payment due date would leave $300 billion in the economy at a critical time.
Bullock also spoke about other moves by the state to try and contain the virus that has sickened more than 15,000 people in the United States and killed more than 200. Over the weekend, the state will be distributing more than 16,000 medical masks to hospitals, medical facilities and first responders around the state.
The governor also defended his decision to close bars, restaurants and other businesses across the state in an effort to keep people from gathering and stop the spread of the disease. The order, which goes into effect at 8 p.m. Friday, will last until March 27.
“The virus has been found in both rural and urban areas so this statewide closure seems like the best way to try and flatten the curve,” Bullock said.