HB 687 revises the age range for expanded Medicaid participants who are required to engage in community engagement activities. Previously, participants aged 19 to 55 were subject to this requirement. This bill extends that upper age limit, now requiring individuals from 19 to 62 years old to participate. Affected participants must complete 80 hours per month in activities such as employment, education, work training, or community service, unless they qualify for an exemption. This change directly impacts expanded Medicaid recipients between the ages of 56 and 62.
HB 554 changes how the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) manages wolves after they are removed from endangered species lists. It removes a previous requirement that mandated FWP to classify and regulate wolves as either game animals or furbearers. Under the amended law, the Fish and Wildlife Commission now has the discretion to declare wolves as game animals or furbearers, allowing for regulated hunting or trapping, but it is no longer a mandatory classification. The bill also retains provisions for controlling wolves to protect livestock, consistent with an approved wolf management plan.
HB 125 revises the qualifications for election judges in school district elections. Previously, election judges were required to be registered electors of the specific school district where they served. This bill now permits qualified registered electors from anywhere in the county to serve as election judges, specifically when a county election administrator conducts the election. It maintains existing prohibitions against candidates or their close relatives serving as judges and retains training requirements. The bill became effective immediately upon passage and approval.
HB 665 exempts certain volunteer officers and directors of small nonprofit corporations from being held personally responsible for the corporation's failure to withhold taxes or file required statements. This protection applies to nonprofits that employ 10 or fewer paid employees. The exemption does not cover officers or directors who receive monetary compensation for their services, nor does it apply if the nonprofit has been out of compliance for over 12 months with outstanding unpaid taxes and penalties.
SB 518 transfers the licensing oversight for emergency care providers from the Board of Medical Examiners to the Department of Labor and Industry. This means the Department of Labor and Industry will now be responsible for the licensing, complaints, and investigations related to these professionals. The bill also revises the membership of the Board of Medical Examiners, updates related definitions, and grants rulemaking authority to the Department of Labor and Industry for its new responsibilities.
HB 8 approves specific renewable resource projects and reauthorizes others, enabling the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) to provide loans for them. These loans are available to various political subdivisions and local governments for purposes such as dam rehabilitation and irrigation system improvements. To fund these projects, the bill authorizes the issuance of up to $121,198,444 in coal severance tax bonds. Loan disbursements are subject to conditions including DNRC approval of the project's scope and budget, and the execution of a loan agreement.
HB 56 establishes an assessment fee program for ground ambulance providers licensed in the state. These providers will pay a uniform fee of 5.75% of their net operating revenues annually to the Department of Revenue. The revenues generated from this assessment are specifically designated to supplement Medicaid payments for ambulance services. The bill also outlines procedures for reporting, collection, auditing, and penalties for non-compliance.
HB 299 revises the specific purposes for which easements can be granted on state lands and updates the application process for these easements. The bill expands the types of public and private uses allowed, specifically including existing private buildings or sewage systems that encroach on state land, use of navigable riverbeds, and certain private access roads, county roads, and utility facilities constructed prior to October 1, 1997. It also modifies the application requirements for these easements, allowing for survey waivers in some cases where sufficient boundary information is available. These changes affect individuals, organizations, and government entities seeking to establish or formalize access and infrastructure on state-owned property.
HB 317 repeals an existing state law that mandated a specific cooperative medical education program. This bill removes the statutory requirement for the Board of Regents to maintain a Memorandum of Understanding with the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. By doing so, it eliminates the legal obligation for these entities to have this particular formal agreement in place for the Idaho college of osteopathic medicine cooperative medical education program. The bill became effective immediately upon passage and approval.
Senate Bill 67, titled the "Montana Automated Driving Systems Act," allows vehicles equipped with automated driving systems to be used on the public highways of Montana. The bill defines various levels of these systems, from Level 1 (driver assistance) to Level 5 (full automation). It permits Level 1, 2, and 3 automated driving systems without additional restrictions. However, Level 4 and 5 systems are allowed subject to limitations established by the Department of Transportation through rulemaking, which is also granted by the bill. This legislation creates a framework for the use and regulation of autonomous vehicles in the state.
HB 264 revises laws regarding wildlife location data and telemetry frequencies. It primarily prohibits the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (DFWP) from releasing location data or telemetry frequencies for hunted or trapped animals. Exceptions allow for the release of data from completed studies or general data three years after its collection. The DFWP can also release this information for environmental permitting activities. This bill amends existing public information laws to incorporate these new restrictions on access to wildlife tracking data.
HB 250 revises state education laws regarding students attending schools outside their home district. The bill clarifies responsibilities for tuition and transportation, particularly for children with disabilities and nonoperating school districts. It allows school boards to deny out-of-district attendance requests if accepting them would jeopardize the district's accreditation, exceed capacity limits, or for students with a recent history of suspension or expulsion (with an exception for special education students). The legislation also updates reporting requirements for out-of-district students and clarifies rules for remote instruction, removing the requirement to seek it from the nearest school district.
