This bill requires public school districts in Montana that offer human sexuality instruction to include at least one visual image of a dilation and evacuation abortion performed between 20 and 25 weeks of gestation. The law also mandates that schools provide parents and guardians with at least 48 hours notice before any human sexuality instruction events or materials are introduced, and requires annual notification of the instruction's content and withdrawal rights. Additionally, the bill prohibits schools from accepting or using course materials or instruction from entities that provide abortion services. These changes would directly affect public school curricula and parental notification procedures regarding sexuality education.
This bill revises Montana's health utilization review laws to improve how health insurance companies handle prior authorization requests for covered services. It directly affects health insurance issuers, utilization review organizations, healthcare providers, and policyholders by establishing new rules for approval processes. Key provisions include requiring insurers to honor prior authorizations for at least 90 days when enrollees switch health plans, prohibiting retroactive denial of approved services, and banning prior authorization requirements for most prescriptions written at hospital discharge. The legislation also mandates electronic submission and response methods for prior authorization requests and prevents enrollees from repeating step therapy protocols if they have previously used similar medications.
This bill revises Montana state law to define "sex" strictly in biological terms based on chromosomes, reproductive systems, and physical characteristics present at birth, rather than gender identity or subjective experience. It directly affects numerous state statutes covering areas like employment discrimination, healthcare access, voting regulations, and public services by standardizing how sex is interpreted across the legal code. The key provision establishes that sex is limited to two biological categories - male and female - determined by genetic and physical indicators such as XX or XY chromosomes and reproductive anatomy. By amending over 50 existing sections of the Montana Code Annotated, the bill ensures consistent application of this definition in laws related to equal pay, anti-discrimination protections, hospital admissions, and other public policies.
This bill requires Montana's Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to publish a biennial report on river usage across the state. The report will provide information about how rivers are being used, which directly affects anglers, boaters, and other recreational users of Montana's waterways. The key provision amends existing state law to mandate this reporting requirement every two years, with the bill taking effect immediately and having a specified termination date. The legislation focuses on increasing transparency about river usage without changing other departmental powers or responsibilities.
This bill establishes specific setback distances for trapping activities on public lands in Montana, requiring ground sets and snares for most wildlife to be placed at least 50 feet from designated roads and hiking trails, with a larger 150-foot setback required for wolves. The law applies to lands managed by the state fish and wildlife commission and exempts roads that are permanently closed to motor vehicles and off-highway vehicles, including certain snowmobile-accessible routes. Additionally, the bill grants the commission authority to expand these setback distances in high-use areas near urban centers and to establish new setback rules for other locations such as campgrounds, recreational sites, and trailheads.
This bill (LC 4381) allows Montana's legislative officers - the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate - to file "friends of the court" (amicus curiae) briefs in state or federal court cases involving the interpretation of laws or legislative intent. It permits them to participate individually or jointly without waiving legislative privilege, but does not override the Attorney General's authority to represent the state. Legislative officers may use approved funding to cover related legal costs, subject to budget approval. The bill directly affects courts handling statutory interpretation cases and ensures legislative officers can formally contribute to legal arguments about how laws are understood.
This bill updates the qualifications for individuals serving on county water and sewer board of directors in Montana. It clarifies that board members must be registered voters, at least 18 years old, U.S. citizens, and either residents of the district or property owners within the district who live in Montana. The law also specifies that property ownership includes titles held in personal names or through corporations, partnerships, LLCs, or trusts where the individual holds an official role. Additionally, the bill requires individuals appointed by municipalities to have knowledge of municipal water systems and allows nonvoting ex officio members to reside outside the district without owning property there.
This bill updates Montana's telehealth and telemedicine laws to allow out-of-state health care providers to register and offer services to patients within the state. It establishes registration requirements for non-Montana providers, including verification of active licenses from other jurisdictions and checks for disciplinary history over the past five years. The legislation also mandates that registered providers notify state authorities within five business days of any license restrictions or disciplinary actions in their home state, with the Department of Labor and Industry empowered to discipline noncompliant providers. Additionally, the bill removes the requirement for applicants to appear in person during registration and defines key terms like synchronous and asynchronous telehealth services.
This bill authorizes the siting of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities in Montana, allowing the state to approve such facilities if they are located on sites of existing nuclear power plants or use fuel transported from out of state. The legislation requires that any proposed facility first receive a recommendation from the state Department of Environmental Quality and obtain a construction or operating license from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Additionally, the bill updates state environmental laws to require companies applying for federal nuclear facility approvals to notify the state and pay fees to support state review and participation in federal proceedings. These changes aim to establish a clear framework for evaluating and permitting nuclear fuel reprocessing operations within Montana's borders.
This bill reorganizes how physician assistants are licensed in Montana by transferring oversight from the Board of Medical Examiners to the Department of Labor and Industry. It requires physician assistants with less than 8,000 hours of postgraduate clinical experience to practice under collaborative agreements with licensed physicians or experienced physician assistants. The legislation also updates the composition of the Board of Medical Examiners to include one physician assistant member and adjusts the number of board members to 11. Additionally, the bill defines key terms for licensing programs without boards and establishes the framework for the new licensing structure effective July 1, 2031.
This bill revises Montana's injunction laws by establishing clearer standards for when courts can issue mandatory preliminary injunctions that force a party to take specific actions. It requires courts to evaluate four independent criteria - likelihood of success on the merits, irreparable harm, balance of equities, and public interest - without using flexible federal tests that allow weighing one factor against another. The legislation also clarifies rules for interpersonal injunctions between private individuals and updates existing statutes to align more closely with federal standards for prohibitory injunctions. Additionally, the bill reorganizes related statutory language to improve readability while maintaining the core legal framework for temporary court orders.
This bill revises Montana's municipal zoning laws by updating how cities and towns establish, amend, or repeal zoning regulations, restrictions, and district boundaries. It requires public hearings with at least 15 days' notice before zoning changes take effect, though boundary-only changes can be adopted immediately by resolution. The bill also allows municipalities to combine zoning hearings with annexation hearings under specific conditions, such as when proposed land uses match county zoning or approved growth policies. Additionally, it repeals a previous provision that allowed citizens to protest zoning regulation changes, removing that specific protest mechanism from state law.
