HB 707 requires the Department of Corrections to consider an inmate's attachment to family when making placements or transfers to correctional institutions located outside of the state. This aims to allow inmates to maintain connections with their families, affecting those in state prisons who are moved out-of-state. The bill mandates the department to assess the inmate's ability to maintain these attachments during such placements. It also integrates this new requirement into existing law governing contracts for inmate confinement, particularly when dealing with excessive inmate populations or a lack of adequate state facilities.
HB 806 generally revises the laws governing dietitians and nutritionists in Montana. The bill updates definitions related to the practice of nutrition and dietetics, and establishes new licensure requirements, including mandatory criminal background checks. It also outlines provisions for qualified supervisors, permits, and transitional licensure for these professionals. Additionally, the bill integrates licensed dietitians and nutritionists into the state's "quality educator" payment framework, affecting their recognition in public schools, special education cooperatives, and correctional facilities.
House Bill 720 revises the qualifications for members serving on the Board of Massage Therapy. The bill specifies the composition of the five-member board, which includes one health care provider, three massage therapists, and one public member. A key provision states that none of the three massage therapist members may own a massage therapy school. Additionally, none of these three therapists may belong to the same national professional association, ensuring diverse professional representation on the board.
HB 717 revises the process for transferring mining operation permits to successor operators, especially when an original operator has a forfeited bond and fails to complete reclamation. It grants the state's Department the power of eminent domain to acquire surface, mineral, or other property interests within a mining permit boundary under specific conditions. This power can be exercised if the department finds it is in the public interest for taxpayers and environmental protection, and a successor operator is available to take over the permit and complete reclamation. The bill also outlines how compensation is determined in these eminent domain cases, considering factors like reclamation costs and existing liabilities.
HB 534 permits eligible county water and/or sewer districts to connect to existing water or wastewater systems, even if those systems are operating beyond their designed capacity. This allowance is contingent upon the connection being authorized by an approved development plan. The bill also grants rulemaking authority to implement these changes, impacting how these districts manage and expand their water and sewer services.
SB 71 amends previous laws (Chapter 137, Laws of 2021, and Chapter 573, Laws of 2023) concerning the funding policies for natural resource operations. The bill specifies that the termination date for these policies, which govern transfers to the natural resources operations state special revenue account, is June 30, 202
HB 759 revises campaign finance laws by establishing new rules for contributions from certain business entities. The bill allows only limited liability companies (LLCs) and partnerships taxed as partnerships for federal tax purposes to contribute to political candidates. Contributions from these entities must be reported under the name of the individual member or partner making the contribution. Furthermore, that specific member or partner is then prohibited from making a separate individual contribution to the same candidate.
HB 752 prohibits content providers from making child sexual abuse material reasonably accessible or profiting from it in Montana. This directly affects websites and software applications that distribute content, as well as victims of such material. The bill requires content providers who manage a substantial amount of sexually explicit visual content to remove identified material within 48 hours to avoid liability. Victims, the Department of Justice, or private individuals can bring legal actions against violating content providers. Remedies include injunctive relief, compensatory and punitive damages, and significant statutory damages, with specific allocations for victims and the Department of Justice.
This bill revises and expands supplemental employer contributions to several state retirement systems, directly impacting state and local government employers and the retirement funds for their employees. For the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), it extends the schedule of increasing supplemental employer contributions through fiscal year 2035 and then sets a higher rate. Additionally, the bill introduces new supplemental employer contribution rates for the Highway Patrol Officers' Retirement System, the Sheriffs' Retirement System, and the Game Wardens' and Peace Officers' Retirement System. These new contributions are intended to help address unfunded liabilities and cover the normal cost of benefits for these specific systems.
HB 767 revises county predator control laws to include goats. It authorizes county commissioners to establish predatory animal control programs specifically for the protection of goats, often based on recommendations or petitions from local goat producers. To fund these programs, commissioners can impose a per capita license fee on goats aged one year or older. The collected fees and proceeds from selling skins of predatory animals are deposited into a dedicated predatory animal control fund for goats.
HB 668 revises alcohol laws to prohibit certain licensees from offering gambling. The bill specifies that all-beverages licenses and beer and wine licenses issued to military clubs, veterans' organizations, and recognized national fraternal organizations after the bill's effective date will no longer be eligible to offer gambling activities. This means that these particular types of organizations, if granted a new alcohol license in the future, cannot also operate gambling on their premises. The change applies to newly issued licenses of these specific categories.
HB 718 establishes an Office of Reentry Services within the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. This office is tasked with coordinating supportive services for individuals preparing to exit or exiting incarceration and reentering communities. Its purpose is to facilitate access to programs like job training, job placement, education, housing assistance, transportation, food security, and behavioral health services. The office will collaborate with various state agencies, companies, and stakeholder organizations to achieve these goals. It also requires the department to submit regular reports to legislative committees detailing the services provided, their cost, and the number of individuals served.
