HB 600 authorizes public and nonpublic schools to maintain a supply of "stock albuterol," a quick-relief asthma medication, for emergency use. This medication can be administered by a school nurse or other authorized school personnel to any individual, student or non-student, experiencing respiratory distress on school grounds or at school-related activities. Schools choosing to keep stock albuterol must develop a protocol for staff training, medication maintenance, and post-administration follow-up, including determining when to make a 9-1-1 emergency call. The bill requires a prescription for the stock albuterol, with the school designated as the patient.
HB 458 revises laws concerning physician assistants and medical malpractice claims. The bill expands the definition of "health care provider" to include physician assistants, affecting their liability in malpractice cases. It also increases the limit on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice claims, raising the initial cap from $250,000 to $300,000. This new limit will then progressively increase each year, reaching $500,000 by 2029 and adjusting annually by 2% thereafter. These changes apply to both future and existing medical malpractice claims.
HB 656 revises the use of the state's Employment Security Account and transfers the Office of Community Service. The bill amends state law to allow funds from the Employment Security Account to be used for administering the Office of Community Service and for enforcing state and federal anti-discrimination laws. Additionally, it moves the Office of Community Service from the Governor's office to the Department of Labor and Industry.
HB 285 revises the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), clarifying its purpose and impact on state agency actions and permitting decisions. The bill specifies that MEPA is a procedural law designed to provide information to the public and decision-makers, not to grant additional regulatory authority to state agencies. It also shifts the burden of proof for those challenging licensing or permitting decisions, requiring them to establish the unconstitutionality of the underlying statute. Furthermore, legal challenges must now be filed in the county where the proposed activity is located.
HB 122 revises existing right-of-way laws for utility lines on public roads, streets, and highways. It specifically expands the authorized utilities to include broadband lines and natural gas pipelines. This allows corporations and public bodies operating these services to install necessary infrastructure, such as lines, pipelines, posts, and piers, along public thoroughfares. The bill maintains the requirement that these installations must not inconvenience or endanger the public.
HB 430 repeals existing state laws that outline the process for counties to establish and operate public weighing scales. This bill eliminates the legal framework that allowed counties to own and manage these scales, as well as the rules regarding their capacity, design, and associated fees. It also removes the provisions for appointing and regulating public weighers at such facilities. Consequently, counties will no longer have the statutory authority to create or manage public scales.
HB 449 is a bill that eliminates the statutory reference to the Adult Basic Education Fund and its distribution within the Montana Code Annotated. It achieves this by repealing section 20-7-712, which outlines this fund and its distribution. This change primarily affects the legal framework governing adult basic education funding in Montana by removing this specific statutory provision, with an effective date of July 1, 2025.
HB 591 establishes "Celebrate Freedom Week" in Montana public schools during the last full week of September each year, effective July 1, 2025. This bill requires social studies classes to provide at least three hours of instruction on the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Montana Constitution, including their historical context and impact on American history. Additionally, students in grades 3 through 12 are mandated to recite a specific passage from the Declaration of Independence daily during this week. Exceptions for student recitation are provided for parental requests, conscientious objections, or children of foreign diplomatic representatives.
HB 435 revises laws related to professional license discipline across various state boards and programs. The bill standardizes definitions of misconduct, available sanctions, and reinstatement processes for professional licenses. It establishes duties for license applicants and current licensees to report misconduct or actions taken against their licenses, providing immunity for good-faith reporting. Key provisions include clarifying a maximum 3-year period for probationary licenses and standardizing the range of sanctions, which can include fines up to $5,000 per violation.
HB 401 prohibits the manufacture, sale, holding, offering for sale, or distribution of "cell-cultured edible product" within Montana. This refers to meat produced via cell culture rather than from a slaughtered animal. The bill directly affects consumers by preventing access to these products and businesses by making such activities unlawful. Violations can lead to misdemeanor charges for individuals, including imprisonment, and disciplinary actions or license suspensions for retail food establishments. The department is also given authority to adopt rules to implement this prohibition.
HB 324 revises state law regarding voluntary payments made in legal claims, affecting individuals and entities involved in disputes over injuries or property damage. The bill clarifies that making a voluntary payment is not considered an admission of fault or liability for any claim. However, this protection does not apply to certain bad faith insurance actions or proceedings to determine attorney fees. It also maintains that voluntary payments are credited against any future judgment, but the payer cannot recover excess payments if the judgment is less than the amount already paid. The changes apply to liability claims with a cause of action accrued on or after October 1, 2025.
HB 391 revises state alcohol laws regarding concession agreements, which are contracts between licensed alcohol sellers and unlicensed entities that serve alcoholic beverages. The bill clarifies that licensees may compensate concessionaires based on a percentage of either the gross or net alcoholic beverage sales. This provision offers more flexibility in structuring financial arrangements for alcohol service between these parties.
