HB 403 mandates that the Montana State Hospital provide immediate and unlimited access to legislators. Under this bill, legislators can enter the hospital at any time, subject to the facility's routine security and safety procedures. While present, legislators are required to prioritize and respect the health, dignity, privacy, and welfare of the patients.
HB 423 revises election laws concerning the maintenance of voter registration lists, affecting registered electors and election administrators. It requires election administrators to annually update voter lists using methods such as comparing addresses with national files or sending confirmation notices. If an elector's address cannot be confirmed, they are moved to an inactive list. Election administrators must then attempt to verify the elector's address with state agencies, and the elector remains inactive until they update their registration. These list maintenance procedures must be completed at least 90 days before federal primary or general elections.
HB 503 revises existing traffic laws concerning fleeing from or eluding a peace officer. It categorizes this offense into a misdemeanor, an aggravated felony, and a felony if serious bodily injury or death occurs. The bill defines aggravated fleeing to include factors such as previous convictions, reckless driving behavior, causing over $5,000 in property damage, or leaving the state. It establishes specific penalties, including varying terms of imprisonment and fines, for individuals convicted of each level of the offense.
HB 328 revises hunting license regulations for Montana residents aged 75 and older. This bill allows these senior hunters to use a general elk license to harvest an antlerless elk, commonly known as a cow elk. This provision applies during any season in hunting districts where youth under 15 are also permitted to harvest antlerless elk. This expanded use of the general elk license for antlerless elk is specifically allowed on privately owned land.
HB 367 revises Montana's workers' compensation laws, specifically clarifying coverage for employees injured while traveling for work. The bill states that an employer furnishing transportation or reimbursing travel expenses is not the sole factor in determining workers' compensation coverage during travel. Instead, an employee is covered if the travel is necessitated by and on behalf of the employer as an integral part of employment, or if the travel is required by the employer as part of job duties. It also clarifies that certain incentive payments are not considered travel reimbursements for coverage purposes.
HB 509 expands Montana's educator loan forgiveness program to cover all newly hired public school teachers in the state, with priority given to those hired in schools designated as "impacted" (where critical teacher shortages exist). It allows eligible teachers to receive up to $5,000 annually in loan repayment assistance over four years ($3,000-$5,000 per year for state-funded aid, plus an additional $5,000 from schools/districts). If funding falls short, the program prioritizes teachers in impacted schools and prorates payments proportionally among them. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to applications submitted on or after that date.
HB 531 establishes that the state legislature holds the sole authority to create, enforce, interpret, and manage the rules governing its own proceedings. It prohibits judicial officers from reviewing or interpreting these legislative rules. An exception is made, allowing for judicial review if a legislative rule potentially conflicts with the Montana Constitution or the United States Constitution. The bill defines "judicial officer" and became effective immediately upon passage and approval.
HB 471 revises education laws concerning human sexuality and identity instruction in public schools, impacting students, parents, and school districts. The bill requires written parental or guardian permission for a child to attend "identity instruction" and allows parents to withdraw their child from "human sexuality instruction" as an excused absence. It mandates that schools provide advance notice to parents about these instructions and make all related curriculum materials publicly available for inspection. Additionally, the bill prohibits entities that provide abortion services from offering or furnishing materials for human sexuality or sexually transmitted disease instruction to students or personnel.
HB 102 revises the laws governing the Office of State Public Defender, affecting its organizational structure and operations. It establishes a distinction between "conflict" and "nonconflict" regional public defender offices and updates the duties of various division administrators. Key provisions include new responsibilities for administrators in developing strategic plans, managing caseloads, and establishing policies for assigning cases based on experience and complexity, including capital cases. The bill also modifies the Central Services Division's role to include managing contracted services and agency training efforts. These changes aim to clarify how public defense services are delivered to indigent clients.
HB 398 revises health insurance laws regarding utilization review, impacting patients and health insurance companies. The bill requires health plans to honor previously approved health care services for at least three months when a patient changes plans, ensuring continuity of care. It mandates that only licensed physicians, specializing in the relevant condition, can make or review decisions to deny or reduce health care services (adverse determinations). Additionally, it clarifies the definition of "adverse determination" and other related terms within insurance law.
HB 629 revises laws regarding connections between proposed subdivisions and public water or wastewater systems. It mandates that county and municipal water or sewer systems must accept a proposed subdivision's request for connection under specific circumstances. These conditions include the subdivision's boundary being within 501 to 1,000 feet of the public system, and the system certifying it has adequate capacity and meets all regulatory requirements. The bill also directs the Department of Environmental Quality to amend its administrative rules to align with these new provisions.
HB 523 creates a process for public cemeteries to declare unused burial lots as abandoned. A lot can be considered abandoned if it has not been used for interment and there has been no contact with the owner or their heirs for 75 years or more. An individual can petition the cemetery administrator, who must then publish a public notice for three weeks to allow any owners or heirs to claim the lot. If no valid claim is made, the lot is deemed legally abandoned, and the petitioner may purchase it. This process does not apply to lots for veteran burials or those with confirmed human remains.
