This bill allows schools, individuals, and medical professionals in Montana to use expired opioid overdose reversal medication like naloxone without legal liability. It authorizes schools to stock and administer expired medication to students or others during an overdose emergency, while also permitting individuals who have received prescriptions to possess, store, and use expired doses. The law provides immunity from civil and criminal penalties for schools, employees, eligible recipients, and medical practitioners who act in good faith, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct. Schools must follow specific protocols for training, storage, and parental notification, and the bill amends existing state statutes to clarify these protections and procedures.
This bill updates Montana state law to clarify how meal allowances are calculated for employees working night shifts. It directly affects state employees who travel for work and changes the specific time windows during which they can receive meal reimbursements based on their shift schedule. Under the new rules, night-shift workers would be eligible for different meal allowance periods, including an early morning allowance between 3:01 a.m. and noon, while also limiting the number of allowances they can receive based on the length and timing of their travel. The legislation also maintains special provisions for appointed members of state boards and committees attending meetings, while excluding legislative committee members during active sessions.
This bill revises how Montana distributes state revenue for local road construction and maintenance among counties, cities, towns, and consolidated city-county governments. The key change is adding a new factor that allocates 25% of county funds and 20% of city/town funds based on daily vehicle miles traveled, while adjusting existing population and mileage-based formulas. Funds must be used for building, repairing, or maintaining rural roads and city streets, with specific rules for how consolidated city-county governments receive their share and how towns can use up to 25% of their allocation for equipment and supplies. The bill also clarifies how population and mileage data are calculated for distribution purposes and requires contracts over certain thresholds to follow standard bidding procedures.
This bill amends the Montana Arts Council's governing statute to remove the title of "chief executive officer" from the presiding officer position. It allows the governor to designate both a presiding officer and a vice presiding officer from among the council members, with the presiding officer no longer holding the chief executive officer designation. The change affects the Montana Arts Council's leadership structure and applies immediately upon passage and approval.
This bill updates regulations for Category D assisted living facilities in Montana, allowing them to operate independently or share space with other licensed facilities while limiting occupancy to a maximum of 15 residents. It clarifies that these facilities are not required to use seclusion, chemical, or physical restraints but must obtain prior authorization before using any form of restraint or seclusion. The legislation also establishes a process for diverting individuals from the Montana State Hospital to Category D facilities and requires the Department of Public Health and Human Services to provide technical assistance and a specialized reimbursement model to support these facilities. Additionally, the bill mandates monthly health assessments for Category D residents who are assessed as dangerous to themselves or others.
This bill amends Montana's energy law to update definitions related to customer-generated electricity and utility transition costs. It directly affects electric utilities, customer generators, and the state Public Service Commission by clarifying terminology for net metering systems, carbon offset providers, and electricity supply resources. The key provision expands the maximum generating capacity for net metering systems from 50 kilowatts to 100 kilowatts, allowing more residential and small business solar and wind installations to connect to the grid. The bill also adds new definitions for terms like "assignee," "fixed transition amounts," and "large customer" to improve clarity in future energy regulations. These changes take effect immediately upon passage.
This bill amends Montana zoning laws to prohibit local governments from allowing the construction of wind generation facilities within their jurisdictions. By modifying Section 7-1-111 of the Montana Code Annotated, the legislation removes the ability of cities and counties to approve or permit wind energy projects through their zoning authority. The change directly affects municipal planning departments, developers seeking to build wind farms, and communities that previously could have permitted such facilities. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage, preventing any pending wind project approvals from moving forward under the new restrictions.
This Montana joint resolution asks the U.S. Congress and federal government to increase Social Security funding to ensure benefits remain secure for at least 75 years without any cuts. The bill directly affects Montana residents who rely on Social Security for retirement, disability, survivor, and children's insurance benefits, representing over 250,000 people in the state. The resolution includes factual statements about Social Security's current funding status, noting that the trust fund has accumulated a surplus and that benefits have never been missed in 90 years of operation. It specifically requests federal action to address projected shortfalls by increasing funding rather than reducing benefits, while also distributing copies to federal officials and Montana's congressional delegation.
This bill creates a grant program to help nonprofit organizations build or improve permanent supportive housing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The Montana Department of Commerce would manage the program and distribute up to $75 million in grants for acquiring, constructing, or rehabilitating housing that includes long-term leases and on-site support services like mental health care, addiction recovery, and employment assistance. Funding comes from a new state account established by transferring $50 million from the general fund and $25 million from the behavioral health system for future generations fund, with grants awarded based on submitted proposals and adherence to specific project conditions.
This bill proposes changes to how irrigation district commissioners are elected in Montana, requiring candidates to live within the district they seek to represent. The key provision mandates that commissioners must reside in and be eligible to vote in the specific district division where they are running for office. Additionally, the bill clarifies that voting is limited to landowners within the specific district division for which each candidate is competing. These amendments aim to strengthen local representation by ensuring commissioners have a direct stake in the communities they serve. The changes would take effect immediately upon passage and approval.
This bill updates Montana laws to clarify how manufactured homes are classified as real property improvements for tax purposes. It requires homeowners to remove the home's running gear, attach it to a permanent foundation, and file a recorded statement of intent with the county clerk to officially convert the home from personal property to real property. The legislation also creates a special process for older manufactured homes built before 2005 that are missing identification tags, allowing them to be taxed as real property after being on the land for at least one year with revenue department documentation. Once converted, these homes are treated the same as traditional residences for tax and lending purposes.
This bill updates Montana's cannabis laws to strengthen labeling requirements and expand the state department's rulemaking authority. It requires all marijuana products to include specific warning labels about health risks, child safety, and driving restrictions, with high-THC products needing additional bold warnings. The legislation also gives the department broader power to set rules on product testing, packaging standards, advertising limits, and environmental sustainability measures. Additionally, it mandates warning posters at all points of sale and directs the department to include addiction resources on these materials.
