This bill allows professional licensing boards in Montana to request patient health care records through administrative subpoenas during investigations and disciplinary proceedings. It amends existing state laws to explicitly permit health care providers to share confidential medical information when ordered by these licensing boards as part of their oversight duties. The change affects health care providers who must release records and licensing boards that need access to investigate professional misconduct or competency issues. The bill does not alter other existing requirements for sharing medical information in court cases or other legal proceedings.
This bill revises Montana's homeschooling laws by separating the requirements for home schools from those for nonpublic schools. It requires home schools to notify the county superintendent of schools annually, maintain attendance records, provide a minimum number of instructional hours, and offer an organized course of study covering subjects taught in public schools. The changes apply immediately upon passage and approval, clarifying that home schools have distinct obligations compared to nonpublic schools while still meeting core educational standards.
This bill requires election administrators in Montana to test voting systems when they are acquired, upgraded, or leave their custody, ensuring the systems function correctly before elections. It also mandates that election administrators print, examine, and keep audit logs and records of votes cast for at least 22 months to help verify election results. Additionally, the bill clarifies how ballots and election records should be stored and when they can be disposed of, while outlining procedures for counting votes and handling questionable ballots during both manual and machine-based vote counts.
This bill revises Montana laws governing land divisions that are exempt from standard subdivision review, primarily affecting property owners transferring land to immediate family members. It clarifies exemptions for family transfers, agricultural land divisions, and boundary adjustments while requiring public hearings with 15 days notice to neighboring owners and water users. The legislation also mandates that all property taxes be paid before division, sets a $400 maximum fee for examining applications, and requires owners to sign affidavits confirming the proposed division meets legal requirements. Local governing bodies must complete their review within 20 working days and can only impose conditions necessary for survey compliance.
This joint resolution formally recognizes the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and honors the service of Montana veterans from that conflict. The bill acknowledges the contributions of over 75,000 Montanans who served in the military, including women in auxiliary services and Native American service members who fought in various roles. It specifically highlights the achievements of Montana's 163rd Infantry Regiment, the First Special Service Force, and other units trained in Montana that served in both Pacific and European theaters. The resolution serves as a commemorative statement rather than creating new laws or programs.
(LC) Draft in Edit
This bill requires Montana Medicaid and private health insurance plans to treat nonopioid pain medications equally with opioid medications, preventing insurers from placing nonopioid drugs on less favorable coverage tiers or subjecting them to stricter approval requirements. It directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries, commercial insurance policyholders, and healthcare providers by mandating that nonopioid drugs approved for pain management receive the same formulary placement and utilization management standards as opioid drugs. The legislation also allows prescribing doctors to request exceptions if they determine a nonopioid drug is medically appropriate for a patient, even if the insurance plan has restrictions.
This bill amends Montana's existing predator control laws to include goats alongside sheep, allowing county commissioners to establish programs that protect goats from predatory animals. Under the new provisions, goat owners can petition with at least 51% support to create or modify a control program, which may include setting a per capita license fee on goats one year of age or older. The license fees collected and proceeds from selling predator skins would be deposited into a dedicated fund used to pay for control measures such as bounties. County commissioners must give preference to recommendations from organized goat producer associations when designing these programs.
This bill revises Montana laws regarding payment for sexual assault medical forensic examinations by establishing a dedicated state fund to cover costs when local law enforcement agencies cannot pay. The new sexual assault medical forensic examination fund will reimburse medical providers up to $800 per examination for victims of alleged sexual offenses, with excess marijuana tax revenue funding the account. Additionally, the bill modifies how surplus marijuana tax funds are distributed, directing a portion to the new examination fund and clarifying the restorative justice fund's sources and uses. These changes shift financial responsibility from local law enforcement to the state for certain forensic examinations while maintaining oversight through the Department of Justice.
This bill expands late voter registration options for federal elections in Montana by allowing voters to register or update their information up until noon on election day, compared to the previous Friday or Saturday deadlines. It also permits late registrants to vote at designated polling locations on election day and establishes procedures for verifying late registrations in school elections. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of State to create uniform statewide rules for electronic registration and voting, ensuring covered voters can register and vote until polls close while maintaining ballot secrecy and integrity. These changes directly affect Montana voters who wish to register or update their information closer to election day and election administrators who must follow new verification and ballot return procedures.
This bill prevents local governments in Montana from banning short-term rentals of a property owner's primary residence, including accessory dwelling units or homes on neighboring lots that share a boundary. It defines a primary residence as a home where the owner lives at least 183 days per year and applies to all county and municipal zoning regulations. The law also amends existing state statutes to limit local zoning authority, ensuring communities cannot impose fees or restrictions that would prevent these specific rental arrangements. Property owners who meet the occupancy requirement can now rent out their homes or nearby properties without local prohibition, regardless of how their jurisdiction is divided into zoning districts.
This bill allows landlords, property managers, merchants, and other parties to charge consumers a fee for using credit cards, provided the fee does not exceed 3% of the transaction amount. It requires these parties to clearly disclose the fee to the consumer before the transaction is completed. The legislation adds this provision to existing Montana law governing credit card transactions.
