SB 490 revises the deadlines for late voter registration in Montana, specifically for federal elections. The bill allows voters to register or update their information until the close of business on the Friday before a federal election, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the Saturday before, and until noon on election day itself. These changes primarily affect Montana voters who need to register or change their voter information close to a federal election. The bill also clarifies how these new late registration provisions interact with existing rules for "covered voters" (such as military and overseas voters), allowing them to register and vote up to the time polls close on election day.
HB 194 generally revises laws related to juries and jury service. The bill updates the process for notifying and summoning potential jurors, outlining steps for court clerks and sheriffs to follow up with non-responding individuals. It introduces the option for courts to implement a "one-day or one-trial" system for juror service and clarifies how long jurors serve, especially for ongoing trials. Additionally, the bill modifies the requirements and timing for motions to discharge a jury panel, expanding the grounds to include objections to how jurors were notified or summoned.
HB 553, titled "Generally revise military higher education act," updates laws related to higher education for military members. It requires faculty at educational institutions to provide eligible students with a make-up opportunity for coursework, assignments, exams, or finals missed due to inactive duty training or annual training. Faculty must give at least 15 business days for students to complete this make-up work, consistent with accreditation requirements. The bill also defines "inactive duty training" and "annual training" to support these provisions, affecting members of the U.S. armed forces reserve components or the Montana national guard enrolled in higher education.
SB 486 revises the funding mechanism for the Montana Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account program. Currently, resident school districts are required to remit a portion of their state education aid to the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) for students participating in the program. This bill allows a school district to elect to have the OPI pay this remittance amount in the first year a student participates in the program within that district. If this option is chosen, the OPI will later reduce the school district's state aid payment by the initial amount, adjusted for inflation, once the student is no longer participating in the program in that district.
HB 341 revises how funds are collected and used to support individuals and families, including military service personnel, living with traumatic brain injuries. It changes the existing voluntary donation for traumatic brain injury awareness during motor vehicle registration to an automatic $1 donation, from which individuals can opt out. The collected funds will be used by the Department of Public Health and Human Services for TBI prevention, education, and recovery support, and county treasurers must post notices explaining this automatic donation.
HB 740 revises laws affecting pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and other entities involved in prescription drug dispensing and reimbursement. The bill establishes new restrictions on how PBMs can audit pharmacies and recoup funds, such as prohibiting recoupment for clerical errors without actual financial harm and banning the use of extrapolation in calculations. It also updates regulations for Maximum Allowable Cost (MAC) lists and reference pricing, requiring PBMs to ensure drugs on MAC lists are available and to frequently update and disclose pricing information to pharmacies.
HB 280 repeals the Interagency Coordinating Council for State Prevention Programs. This action eliminates the council itself and its associated reporting requirements for state agencies. The bill specifically repeals section 2-15-225 of the Montana Code Annotated.
House Bill 808 establishes the Montana Brownfields Revitalization Act, creating a program to encourage the cleanup and redevelopment of "brownfield sites" across the state. These are properties where hazardous substances or petroleum contamination may hinder their reuse or expansion. The bill outlines eligibility criteria for brownfield funding, allowing entities like local governments and non-profits to use federal funds for environmental assessment and remediation when no viable responsible party for the contamination exists. This aims to prepare properties for redevelopment, reduce environmental threats, and return them to productive use. The act also eliminates and replaces previous Montana Petroleum Brownfields Revitalization Act provisions.
HB 87 revises property taxation procedures for certain lands purchased by the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (DFWP), directly affecting the DFWP and counties. The bill mandates that these DFWP-owned lands will be assessed for property tax by the Department of Revenue in the same manner as property owned by a private citizen, while maintaining existing exceptions. This change also updates the process for county reimbursement related to these lands. The bill has an immediate effective date and a retroactive applicability date.
SB 97 revises state laws concerning where certain legal cases can be heard. It primarily affects individuals or groups who challenge the constitutionality of state laws enacted or amended within the current two-year legislative period. Under this bill, lawsuits that claim a recently passed law is unconstitutional or seek to prevent its enforcement must be filed in a county located within the legislative district of that law's primary sponsor. If such a case is initially filed elsewhere, the bill mandates a change of venue to the sponsor's legislative district.
SB 362 revises the qualifications for municipal firefighters in Montana, directly affecting applicants and municipal fire chiefs. The bill grants fire chiefs the discretion to qualify individuals who have been convicted of certain misdemeanors or felonies. However, fire chiefs are prohibited from qualifying applicants convicted of crimes that require registration on the sexual or violent offender registry. This provides more flexibility for fire chiefs in evaluating candidates with past criminal convictions.
HB 359 revises the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) laws concerning retired teachers returning to work. It temporarily reduces the required break-in-service period for retired teachers from 150 to 120 days if they retired on or after January 1, 2024. The bill also creates an exception, allowing retired teachers to work for up to 45 days during this break-in-service period specifically to mentor new teachers. These provisions, which also extend existing temporary rules, are effective until June 30, 2029, after which the previous requirements will apply.
