SB 301 revises laws related to utility lines and facilities, primarily affecting public utilities that construct electric transmission infrastructure and the Public Service Commission (PSC). It allows public utilities to request a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) from the PSC before building electric transmission facilities rated above 69 kilovolts. The PSC will determine within 300 days if the proposed construction is in the public interest, considering factors like need, costs, and the use of advanced technologies. An approved CPCN may satisfy certain environmental siting requirements, and the bill also establishes a process for utilities to seek advanced cost approval for future transmission projects.
SB 534 provides a property tax exemption for specific wireless infrastructure in Montana. This bill exempts qualifying wireless infrastructure, placed into service on or after the act's effective date, from property taxes for an initial period of five years. Following this, the exemption gradually phases out over the next five years, after which the property becomes fully taxable. To maintain the exemption, owners must reinvest the tax savings into new communication infrastructure within Montana, without charging those costs to consumers.
HB 940 prohibits overnight camping and the storage of personal property on state highway rights-of-way, which are public lands maintained for road purposes. This directly affects individuals who use these areas for temporary shelter or storage. The bill defines overnight camping as between dusk and dawn, but allows exceptions for emergencies, authorized work crews, and designated rest areas for up to 24 hours. The Department of Transportation and law enforcement are empowered to issue notices for people to vacate and remove property, with non-compliance potentially leading to a civil fine of up to $50 and disposal of property. The bill also provides $15,000 to the Department of Transportation for implementation.
Senate Bill 335, known as the "Montana Dental Insurance Transparency and Accountability Act," establishes new regulations for dental insurance companies in Montana. It requires dental insurers to annually report their "dental loss ratio" (DLR), which measures the percentage of premium dollars spent on patient care, to the state's commissioner of securities and insurance. This reported DLR information, along with other plan details, will be made publicly available online for consumers to compare plans. The bill also mandates consumer rebates from dental insurers if their aggregated dental loss ratio falls below a certain threshold over a three-year period. This act applies to individual and group dental insurance plans, but excludes health plans with embedded dental benefits already subject to federal medical loss ratio requirements, as well as Medicaid and Healthy Montana Kids plans.
House Bill 140 establishes a property tax assistance program for certain first responders and their surviving spouses. It provides a reduction in residential property taxes for law enforcement officers and firefighters who were injured in the line of duty. Unmarried surviving spouses of first responders killed in the line of duty are also eligible for this assistance. The amount of the tax reduction is determined by the applicant's income, with lower incomes receiving a greater benefit. Eligibility requires the property to be the primary residence and the first responder to meet specific criteria related to their line-of-duty injury or death.
SB 468 establishes a statewide central registry for individuals who are the subject of *substantiated* reports of child abuse or neglect. This registry will affect individuals found to have abused or neglected a child, as their information may be used in background checks for employment or licensure in fields with unsupervised contact with children. The bill requires individuals to receive notice and a hearing before being included in the registry. It also outlines procedures for individuals to request expungement from the registry, based on criteria such as newly discovered evidence or demonstrating they no longer pose a risk.
SB 409 revises laws related to the Department of Commerce and changes how revenues from the lodging facility use tax are distributed. The bill modifies the allocation of these tax proceeds among various state programs and entities, including the Montana historical society, state parks, and regional tourism corporations. A key provision expands and permanently establishes the program providing emergency lodging for victims of domestic violence or human trafficking, funded by a portion of these tax revenues. It also adjusts specific uses for funds allocated directly to the Department of Commerce, such as for the renovation of the Miles City train depot.
SB 552 revises criminal justice laws by allowing a county attorney to file a petition to transfer the revocation of a suspended or deferred felony sentence. This applies when an offender, previously sentenced in one county, is charged with a new felony in a different county. The bill's mechanism allows both the new felony case and the revocation proceeding for the prior sentence to be handled in the county where the new felony is alleged to have occurred. It directly affects offenders with prior suspended or deferred felony sentences and the county attorneys involved in such cases.
SB 350 revises Montana's education laws concerning extracurricular participation for home school students. The bill allows school districts or athletic organizations to restrict a home school student's ability to participate in extracurricular activities if that student is not a United States citizen or not a resident of Montana. Previously, such restrictions were generally prohibited solely based on the student's home school enrollment. All other existing rules, such as home school students meeting the same participation standards as full-time students, remain in effect.
HB 953 revises Montana's Medicaid laws to allow for the coverage of direct primary care contracts under the state's Medicaid program. This bill directly affects Medicaid enrollees by providing them the option to use these services. It also prohibits the Department of Public Health and Human Services from requiring an enrollee to participate in primary care case management if they opt for a direct primary care contract. The bill provides a definition for "direct primary care contract" and includes an appropriation to support these changes.
HB 627 revises reporting requirements for public contracts. It mandates the Department of Administration to provide quarterly reports to the Legislative Finance Committee. These reports must include details on procurement solicitations, executed contracts, and contract modifications that are anticipated or expected to cost $250,000 or more over the life of the contract. The information includes the purchasing agency, what is being procured, and contractor names.
SB 524 revises laws concerning Category D assisted living facilities, which cater to residents who may pose a danger to themselves or others and require assistance with daily living activities. The bill allows these facilities to be independent or co-located with others, limiting them to 15 residents, and clarifies that while not required, prior authorization is needed for any use of seclusion or restraints. It mandates the Department of Public Health and Human Services to provide technical assistance and a specialized reimbursement model. Additionally, it establishes new processes for diverting individuals from the Montana State Hospital or committing them directly to Category D facilities.
