This bill requires the Montana Department of Revenue to obtain criminal history records for its employees who have access to federal taxpayer information by requesting data from the Montana Department of Justice. It mandates that these employees submit fingerprints for background checks conducted by both the state Department of Justice and the federal Bureau of Investigation, with employees signing a release to allow this process. The Department of Revenue will cover all costs associated with obtaining these criminal record reports, and the law takes effect immediately upon passage and approval.
This bill authorizes the creation of speech-language pathology aides and audiology aides in Montana without requiring them to hold a professional license. Under the new rules, these aides must work under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist for at least 20% of their time and cannot perform tasks requiring independent clinical judgment. The bill gives the professional licensing board authority to establish specific qualifications and define the scope of work for these support staff members. This change aims to expand access to support services while maintaining oversight through licensed professionals.
This bill amends Montana's health care laws by updating definitions for terms used in health insurance and utilization review processes. It directly affects health insurance issuers, healthcare providers, and patients by clarifying what constitutes an adverse determination, clinical review criteria, and other key concepts in coverage decisions. The legislation establishes specific meanings for terms like "case management," "concurrent review," and "authorized representative" to ensure consistency in how health care services are evaluated and paid for. Additionally, the bill provides rulemaking authority to the state insurance department to implement these updated definitions and procedures.
This bill updates Montana's commercial tow truck regulations by establishing clearer definitions and classification standards for tow truck operators and equipment. It directly affects tow truck companies and drivers by requiring new equipment specifications for three vehicle classes (light, medium, and heavy-duty) and mandating that at least 75% of employees in company operations hold recognized certifications or have one year of experience in Montana. The law also revises requirements for participation in the state law enforcement rotation system, which allows tow trucks to assist police with traffic stops, and includes a transition provision for existing trucks that do not meet the new standards.
This bill amends Montana's child custody laws to establish specific guidelines for parenting decisions involving children who are transitioning genders. It requires courts to treat a parent's active support of a child's gender transition as not being in the child's best interests, while also stating that opposing a child's transition may not be considered against the child's best interests. The legislation adds these gender transition factors to the list of considerations judges must evaluate when determining custody arrangements, effective immediately upon passage.
This bill prohibits content providers from making child sexual abuse material accessible to people in Montana and bars them from profiting from distributing such content to Montanans. It defines "content providers" as those who create, publish, or distribute online content, while excluding basic hosting services and general web browsers. The law allows victims, the Department of Justice, and private individuals to sue for violations, with a 50-year statute of limitations for victim-initiated cases. Remedies available include court orders to stop the behavior, monetary compensation, and punitive damages, with provisions for sharing damages among multiple victims.
This bill creates a new Office of Reentry Services within Montana's Department of Labor and Industry to coordinate support for people leaving prison. The office will work with various state agencies, businesses, and community organizations to expand job training, housing assistance, healthcare access, and education programs for formerly incarcerated individuals. It requires the office to submit an annual report detailing the services provided, costs incurred, and the number of people served to the legislative committees.
This bill revises Montana water rights laws to clarify definitions related to exempt wells and groundwater management. It directly affects landowners, water users, and the Department of Natural Resources by updating how terms like "appropriation," "beneficial use," and "combined appropriation" are defined. The legislation provides clearer rules for groundwater projects, aquifer recharge, and instream flow protections, while establishing new rulemaking authority for the state department. These changes aim to modernize water rights terminology and improve consistency in how water withdrawals and uses are classified under state law.
This bill allows Montana's mining department to transfer permits from one mining operator to another when the original operator fails to complete reclamation duties. It enables the department to use eminent domain powers to take property from operators who have been prohibited from mining for at least one year and have insufficient bonds to cover reclamation costs. The new rules require successor operators to assume reclamation responsibilities, post additional bonds, and pay a $2,000 fee to receive transferred permits. Compensation for the taken property will be calculated based on the difference between forfeited and required bond amounts, tax liens, and reclamation needs.
This bill amends Montana's real property manager licensing laws to exclude managers of licensed lodging establishments from licensing requirements. It directly affects individuals who manage hotels, motels, and other lodging facilities that are already regulated under Title 50, Chapter 51. The key provision adds a new exemption category for people managing establishments licensed under Title 50, chapter 51, ensuring they are not subject to the same licensing rules as traditional residential property managers. The bill also clarifies existing exemptions for family members, small landlords, and employees whose property management duties are incidental to their primary job. These changes take effect immediately upon passage and approval.
This bill would prevent the Montana Supreme Court from selecting a specific individual to serve as the presiding officer of the state's redistricting commission if that person has made campaign contributions to major party candidates in the last 10 years. The law applies to the five-member commission that draws state legislative and congressional district lines, which is formed when legislative leaders appoint four commissioners who then choose a fifth chairperson. If the commissioners cannot agree on a chairperson within 20 days, the Supreme Court would be responsible for selecting that fifth member, but the bill adds a restriction barring anyone with recent major party campaign donations from being chosen. This change directly affects the selection process for the redistricting commission's leadership and limits the pool of candidates the court can appoint based on their financial support of political campaigns.
This bill prohibits Montana peace officers, state employees, and local government workers from enforcing any federal firearms laws, rules, or regulations enacted after 1889 that are more restrictive than Montana's own laws. It applies to all federal firearms restrictions, including executive orders and regulations, making them unenforceable within the state if they conflict with state standards. The law takes effect immediately upon approval and applies retroactively to cover federal rules adopted or interpreted after November 8, 1889. This measure ensures that Montana's firearms regulations take precedence over stricter federal requirements, allowing state authorities to disregard federal firearms restrictions that exceed state standards.
