HB 128: Protect volunteer emergency service providers from termination - Montana

HB0128_X(10).pdf → HB0128_X(11).pdf · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to clarify that the protections against wrongful termination apply to both public and private employers, not just public agencies. The definition of a 'volunteer emergency services provider' was narrowed to exclude those performing services during declared disasters or mutual aid agreements, and the requirement for notification was updated to apply to all employers. Additionally, the enforcement section was streamlined to remove specific remedies like reinstatement and back wages, directing employees instead to general legal remedies under existing state law.

Scope change

The bill's applicability was expanded from public agencies to include private employers, while simultaneously narrowing the definition of who qualifies for protection by excluding those working during declared emergencies or mutual aid situations.

SCOPE

Expanded the bill's protection against wrongful termination to cover private employers in addition to public agencies.

ELIGIBILITY

Narrowed the definition of a volunteer emergency services provider to exclude those performing duties during declared disasters or mutual aid agreements.

REQUIREMENT

Updated notification requirements to apply to all employers and clarified the 30-day deadline for employees to notify their employer of volunteer status.

Added a provision allowing employers to deduct regular pay if an employee claims it while absent or late due to volunteer emergency duties.

ENFORCEMENT

Removed specific remedies such as reinstatement and back wages from the bill, requiring employees to seek those remedies under general state wrongful termination laws instead.

HB0128_2(10).pdf → HB0128_X.pdf · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill was converted from a House Bill to an Enrolled Bill, indicating it has been signed into law. The substantive policy content remains largely the same, protecting volunteer emergency service providers from termination for attending emergencies. However, the text was significantly cleaned up to remove inconsistent all-caps formatting and redundant phrasing, making the legal requirements clearer and more professional.

Scope change

The scope of applicability is unchanged; the bill applies to both public and private employers regarding volunteer firefighters, volunteer fire department members, and volunteer emergency medical technicians.

TECHNICAL

Removed inconsistent all-caps formatting (e.g., 'WHO HAS COMPLETED') and redundant capitalization throughout the text to improve readability and legal clarity.

Corrected grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as changing 'an AN employee HIRED BY AN AGENCY' to 'An employee hired by an employer'.

Standardized the document header and footer to reflect its status as an officially enrolled and signed bill.

HB0128_1(7).pdf → HB0128_2.pdf · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered from HB 128 to HB0128.2 and updated to reflect the 2025 legislative session. The core policy regarding volunteer emergency services was significantly strengthened by adding a specific exemption for employees who have completed their probationary period, ensuring they cannot be fired for volunteering. Additionally, the definition of a 'volunteer emergency services provider' was expanded to explicitly include volunteer emergency medical technicians, broadening the protection to cover more first responders.

Scope change

The scope of protection was expanded to include volunteer emergency medical technicians and specifically covers employees who have finished their probationary period.

TECHNICAL

The bill number was changed from HB 128 to HB0128.2, and the legislative session year was updated to 2025.

ELIGIBILITY

A new condition was added stating that an agency cannot terminate an employee who has completed their probationary period because they elected to serve as a volunteer.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'volunteer emergency services provider' was updated to explicitly include volunteer emergency medical technicians.

REQUIREMENT

The notification requirement for employees was clarified to apply within 30 days of hire for those hired after the effective date.

LC0941.pdf → HB0128_1.pdf · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was formally renamed from LC 0941 to House Bill 128 and reorganized into two distinct sections. The most significant substantive change is the shift in terminology from 'agency' to 'employer' in the second section, which broadens the bill's applicability to include private sector businesses in addition to government entities. The core protections against termination and requirements for notification remain consistent across both versions.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded by changing the term 'agency' to 'employer' in Section 2, thereby extending legal protections to private employers who were not explicitly covered in the original draft.

SCOPE

The term 'agency' was replaced with 'employer' in the second section, extending the bill's protections to private sector companies in addition to government agencies.

TECHNICAL

The bill title was updated from 'LC 0941' to 'HB 128' to reflect the official House Bill number.

The bill structure was split into two separate sections, with Section 1 covering agency-specific rules and Section 2 covering employer-specific rules.

The list of sponsoring legislators was updated to include the full roster of sponsors for the final version.

Protect volunteer emergency service providers from termination

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