Montana Bills

HB 796 revises laws related to the compulsory sharing of health care records. It clarifies that professional and occupational licensing boards or programs may request health care information. This information can be obtained through an administrative subpoena for their investigative and disciplinary proceedings. The bill amends existing statutes to explicitly allow this disclosure under specific circumstances.

Senate Bill 95 allocates $300,000 to the Department of Public Health and Human Services for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025. This funding is dedicated to suicide prevention efforts specifically for service members, veterans, and their families. The bill outlines several key uses for the money, including implementing prevention strategies and establishing screening standards for suicide risk. It also aims to improve care transitions and increase lethal means safety through initiatives such as a statewide safe storage campaign and training events. The act is effective July 1, 2025, and terminates on June 30, 2027.

SB 544 revises Montana's individual income tax laws to allow taxpayers an election to account for certain past net operating losses. It directly affects individuals who had differences between their federal and Montana net operating loss carryovers before January 1, 2024. These taxpayers can choose to make a "transition adjustment" on their 2024 income tax return, filed by October 15, 2025, to address these discrepancies. If elected, this adjustment can reduce Montana taxable income for 2024 and up to seven subsequent years until the loss is fully utilized. The bill aims to provide a mechanism for individuals to claim losses not fully recognized under previous 2021 tax simplification legislation.

HB 532 revises laws concerning the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of incapacitated persons and vulnerable adults, defining these terms. It specifies that vulnerable adults include individuals aged 60 or older, or adults with significant physical or mental impairments or developmental disabilities. The bill establishes new felony and misdemeanor offenses for actions such as abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, failure to report, false reporting, and financial exploitation of these individuals. It also outlines penalties including fines and imprisonment for those convicted of these crimes.

HB 576 revises the funding for Medicaid and health and support services for children and adults who are aged, blind, or disabled. The bill allows a portion of the state's annual tobacco settlement proceeds to be used as matching funds for federal programs, including the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), home visiting services, and specific Medicaid waivers. It also expands the uses of an existing state special revenue account, enabling its funds to similarly provide matching funds for these same services. These changes are designed to help secure federal funding for a range of health and support programs.

House Bill 855 establishes a dedicated funding mechanism for projects aimed at reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions across Montana. It authorizes the Fish and Wildlife Commission to create a specialty license plate, with a $20 donation from its sale and renewal deposited into a new "Big Game and Wildlife Highway Crossings and Accommodations Account." Funds in this account, which also accepts gifts and grants, are statutorily appropriated to the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. These funds will be used for the design, construction, maintenance, and study of wildlife crossings and related accommodations on state roadways, improving safety for both drivers and wildlife.

HB 70 requires the Environmental Quality Council to conduct a comprehensive study on state fire suppression issues, methods, and costs in Montana. This study will investigate firefighting operations by state and federal governments, resource efficiency, the impact of operations on private land, and how forest management policies may contribute to wildfires. The Council must complete the study and report its findings, including any legislative recommendations, to the 70th legislature by September 15, 2026. The bill appropriates $50,000 from the general fund to cover the study's expenses.

HB 225 revises laws related to home inspections by establishing a state licensing program for home inspectors. The bill requires individuals who perform home inspections for compensation to obtain a license through the Department of Labor and Industry. To qualify, applicants must complete 40 hours of instruction, maintain membership in a national home inspection association, and carry $100,000 in liability insurance. It also sets standards for home inspection reports, requiring them to identify defects and recommend further evaluations, and outlines ethical conduct for inspectors. The Department is authorized to create rules and collect fees to administer this program.

HB 744 authorizes the use of speech-language pathology aides and audiology aides in the state. These aides are not required to be licensed, but they must work under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist for a minimum of 20% of their time. The bill specifies that aides cannot perform work requiring independent professional judgment. It also grants the board the authority to establish the qualifications and scope of work for these aide roles through rules.

HB 543 repeals the termination date for laws requiring the reporting and disclosure of violence against healthcare employees. Previously, these reporting requirements were set to expire on a specific date. By repealing that sunset clause, this bill makes the reporting and disclosure obligations permanent. This ensures that information about violence affecting healthcare workers will continue to be collected and shared indefinitely.

HB 100 generally revises public record laws, establishing new requirements and deadlines for state public agencies, excluding local governments, when responding to information requests. The bill outlines different response protocols for executive and non-executive branch agencies, including specific timeframes for acknowledging and fulfilling requests. It also revises the fees agencies can charge, allowing them to cover actual costs, including staff time, and permits agencies to require estimated fee payment upfront. Additionally, the bill mandates executive branch agencies to publish their request processes, statistics, and retain requests and responses for two years. Individuals may file a court action if agencies fail to meet the established response deadlines.

HB 62 generally revises laws related to the administration of public employee retirement systems (MPERA). It clarifies rules for disability retirement, including when benefits can begin and that duty-related benefits do not automatically convert to normal retirement at age. The bill assesses interest on payroll reporting errors that require retroactive contributions and allows for prorating service purchases if installment payments cease. Additionally, it revises definitions of "allowance" and "compensation," aligns working retiree limits across various systems, and updates required minimum distribution rules to comply with federal law, affecting public employees and retirees in these systems.