HB 651 allows public buildings to use temporary door locking devices during shelter-in-place or emergency lockdown situations. These devices can secure doors, including fire exits, as a limited exception to the fire code. The bill defines these devices with specific safety requirements, such as being removable from the egress side without a key, not permanently mounted, and integrated into building safety plans and training. Their use must also be approved by the local fire department, law enforcement, or code official.
SB 221 revises the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) by establishing new requirements for greenhouse gas (GHG) assessments during state agency environmental reviews. Under this bill, state agencies are mandated to conduct GHG assessments for proposed actions classified as "fossil fuel activities." For other proposed actions, agencies may conduct a GHG assessment if deemed necessary for MEPA compliance. The bill clarifies that these assessments are for informational purposes, and state agencies cannot regulate greenhouse gas emissions or deny permits based solely on these GHG assessments under MEPA. This affects Montana state agencies conducting environmental reviews and entities proposing fossil fuel-related projects.
HB 455 revises election laws in Montana by updating the deadlines for the Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP) to notify election officials about municipal candidates. This notification occurs when a candidate's name should not appear on the ballot due to their failure to file required campaign finance reports. For municipal primary and general elections, the COPP must now provide this notification no later than 5 days after the candidate filing deadline. An additional deadline is set for municipal general elections, requiring notification no later than September 30th. This bill primarily affects municipal candidates and the COPP's process for ensuring compliance with financial reporting requirements.
HB 521 revises civil liability laws by establishing that a person convicted of a crime has no legal right to sue for injuries or other damages they sustained during the commission of that crime. This means individuals cannot recover damages through a civil lawsuit if their injuries occurred while they were actively committing a crime for which they were later convicted. The bill specifies that this new provision will be codified as part of Title 27, chapter 1, part 5 of the state's legal code.
HB 447 enacts the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, allowing licensed respiratory therapists to practice in multiple member states without needing a full license in each. This aims to increase public access to respiratory therapy services and improve workforce mobility, including for military members and their spouses. The compact establishes a "compact privilege" for therapists to practice in other member states while preserving each state's regulatory authority. It also includes provisions for criminal background checks for license applicants.
HB 454 revises the required frequency of patient visits by a licensed physical therapist when supervising a physical therapy assistant. This bill directly affects licensed physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, and the patients they serve. It changes the supervisory requirement, allowing a physical therapist to make an onsite or telehealth visit once for every eight visits made by an assistant, rather than six. Additionally, the time-based supervisory visit is extended from every two weeks to every 30 days, whichever occurs first.
HB 473 grants the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) the authority to adopt Medicare fee schedules issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) through administrative rule. A key provision allows for the automatic incorporation of future updates to these federal fee schedules. This streamlines the process for DPHHS to align state reimbursement rates with federal Medicare standards. The bill affects the DPHHS's rulemaking procedures and indirectly impacts healthcare providers and beneficiaries whose services are reimbursed based on these schedules.
HB 632 revises the daily compensation for members of two state boards. The bill increases the per diem payment for members of the Burial Preservation Board and the Montana Facility Finance Authority from $50 to $100 for each day they are actively engaged in board duties. This change is in addition to existing reimbursements for travel, meals, and lodging. The new compensation rates for these members will become effective on July 1, 2025.
HB 394 revises public notice and resolution requirements for local governments, including municipalities and counties. The bill updates how municipalities publish notices, detailing newspaper qualifications and posting requirements for smaller towns, and specifies new timings for public notice publication before hearings or actions. Additionally, it adjusts deadlines for local governments to adopt annual budgets and for councils to pass resolutions concerning special improvement district maintenance assessments. These changes aim to clarify and standardize various notification and procedural timelines for local government operations.
This bill clarifies existing laws regarding the transfer of land, specifically for parcels received through family gifts or sales. It ensures that the usual restriction, which can prevent the resale of these "family transfer parcels" for up to two years, does not apply to transactions involving lenders. This allows individuals who receive such land to use it as collateral for a mortgage or other loan. The bill also specifies that if a lender acquires the property through foreclosure, they are exempt from the transfer restriction and can freely sell the land.
HB 486 revises the laws governing compensation for county deputy sheriffs in Montana. This bill directly affects these law enforcement officers by increasing the percentage of the sheriff's salary used to calculate their base pay. The current structure bases deputy sheriff compensation on a schedule tied to county population and the sheriff's salary. The bill also defines "compensation" as base pay, explicitly excluding longevity or overtime payments.
HB 603 removes the statewide requirement that at least one member of a quasi-judicial board must be an attorney licensed to practice law in Montana. This bill amends various sections of the Montana Code Annotated to eliminate this specific qualification for state boards that perform administrative decision-making functions. It also explicitly removes the attorney requirement for the Board of Directors of the State Compensation Insurance Fund and the Hard-Rock Mining Impact Board. The change allows for a broader range of professional backgrounds among the appointed members of these boards.
