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HB 851 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Create department of health services

HB 851 proposes to create a new state agency called the Department of Health Services. This new department would take over specific human services functions currently managed by the Department of Public Health and Human Services. These transferred responsibilities include the administration of developmental disabilities services, mental health services (like the Montana State Hospital), chemical dependency services, and veterans' long-term care facilities. The bill also provides an appropriation for the new department, grants it rulemaking authority, and requires its contracts to include dispute resolution clauses.
Issues: ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates new department via appropriation, funding transferred health services functions (e.g., mental health, veterans care) as part of state budget allocation.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates new department to manage mental health, developmental disabilities, and chemical dependency services with funding, advancing healthcare delivery95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill explicitly transfers veterans' long-term care facilities to new department and includes funding appropriation for these services.85% confidence
Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 21, 2025 Last action May 22, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

LC1424.pdf → HB0851_1.pdf · 2 edits
MINOR
The bill was renumbered from LC 1424 to HB 851.1 and updated to reflect the official House Bill format. The substantive policy change involves expanding the list of state agencies whose functions are transferred to the new Department of Health Services by adding the Department of Environmental Quality to the existing list of transferred departments.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to include the Department of Environmental Quality within the functions transferred to the Department of Health Services.
SCOPE

Added the Department of Environmental Quality to the list of agencies transferring functions to the new Department of Health Services.

TECHNICAL

Updated bill numbering from LC 1424 to HB 851.1 and corrected capitalization in the text (e.g., changing 'PURSUANT TO' to 'pursuant to' and 'THE' to 'the').

Floor votes · House Apr 8, 2025

How they voted

82–15
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 100
Apr 8, 2025
D Democratic42
39 Yea 1 Nay 2
92% Yea
R Republican58
43 Yea 14 Nay 1
74% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
34
Key actions
5
Committee
7
Amendments
1
Apr 15, 2025
Amended
(S) Tabled in Committee - (S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety
upper
Apr 9, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety
upper
Apr 8, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (82-15-3)
house
Apr 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Appropriations
lower
Apr 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Appropriations
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Committee
(H) Rereferred to Committee - (H) Appropriations
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) State Administration
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) State Administration
lower
Mar 21, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) State Administration
lower
Mar 21, 2025
Introduced
(H) Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of John Fitzpatrick
John Fitzpatrick
RRepublican
MT
76