HB 896 aimed to expand Montana's obstructing justice laws by redefining who is considered "an offender." Under this bill, "an offender" would include individuals who have entered the United States unlawfully or have not complied with their immigration status conditions. Consequently, a person could be charged with obstructing justice for knowingly harboring, assisting, or preventing the discovery or apprehension of such individuals. The bill also included a $500 appropriation to the Department of Justice to notify local law enforcement agencies and county attorneys about these new requirements.
HB 750, titled "Provide for annual increase of Medicaid provider reimbursement rates," proposes to annually increase the reimbursement rates for services covered by the Montana Medicaid program. This bill directly affects healthcare providers who offer services to Medicaid recipients in Montana. It mandates that the department responsible for Medicaid annually increase these reimbursement rates by a minimum of 2%.
HB 518 revises laws related to motor carrier certificates, affecting how Class A, Class D, and Class E motor carriers apply for or transfer operating authority. The bill limits the grounds for protest against certain motor carrier applications (pursuant to 69-12-311(1)(a) or Class E) to their ability to meet specific requirements. For other motor carriers (pursuant to 69-12-311(1)(b) or Class D), it allows the Public Service Commission to deny applications without a public hearing if the proposed service area was previously found not to need the service, unless conditions have materially changed. The commission must still provide notice for applications and hold a hearing if a protest is received.
HB 659 aimed to revise the election requirements for approving or prohibiting marijuana businesses in certain municipalities. The bill would have applied to "qualified municipalities" - cities or towns with their own police departments - located within counties that previously voted against Initiative Measure No. 190. A key provision was that a two-thirds majority vote would be required within such a qualified municipality to either approve or prohibit specific categories of marijuana businesses from operating there. This mechanism would have allowed these municipalities to make their own decisions regarding marijuana businesses, even if the surrounding county had a different outcome.
HB 517 revises the laws governing Class D motor carriers in Montana. The bill amends existing statute to require that a motor carrier must intend to or actually engage in the regular transportation of garbage to hold a Class D operating permit. This change directly affects businesses that operate as Class D motor carriers, ensuring that these specific permits are held by those actively involved in garbage transportation.
HB 187 aimed to revise Montana's election laws regarding how ballots are counted. It removed the prior requirement for continuous tabulation in certain situations. The bill would have allowed counties performing pre-election day ballot counting to stop by 5 p.m., even if all available ballots were not yet processed. On election day, it would have permitted counting to continue without adjournment, but with specific exceptions for ballots like provisional or military ballots that require further review. This aimed to provide more flexibility for election administrators in managing the ballot counting process.
HB 884 sought to establish the Montana Behavioral Health Trust Fund and an oversight board to support behavioral health services statewide. It would have created a permanent endowment, with only the interest generated from it being transferred quarterly into a special revenue account. This account would fund grants for various eligible purposes, including mental health programs in public schools, expanding crisis care services, and providing support for individuals experiencing homelessness. A newly formed seven-member board would have been responsible for administering the fund, determining grant priorities, and monitoring the effectiveness of funded services.
House Bill 404, known as the "Defend the Guard Act," aimed to regulate the deployment of the Montana National Guard. It would have required an official declaration of war by the U.S. Congress or specific congressional action to call forth the militia before the Montana National Guard or its members could be released from the state for active duty combat. The bill defined active duty combat to include participation in armed conflict or hazardous service in a foreign state. It also clarified that it would not restrict the Governor's existing authority for state-controlled missions like training, responding to domestic emergencies, or homeland defense within the United States.
HB 701 aimed to establish a new method for calculating attorney fees when a government entity in Montana is ordered to pay them in a legal case. The bill proposed that these attorney fees could not exceed the hourly salary rate of the state's Attorney General, multiplied by the hours the attorney worked on the specific legal action. This would directly affect the amount of attorney fees paid by the state, its political subdivisions, or agencies when they are assessed such fees.
HB 287 proposes to revise laws concerning dangerous drugs, primarily by introducing enhanced penalties. It establishes additional prison sentences for individuals who knowingly possess or use a firearm while committing offenses related to the criminal distribution or possession with intent to distribute dangerous drugs. The bill also sets specific, stricter penalties for the distribution or possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and similar substances, including mandatory minimum prison terms for certain quantities. Additionally, it clarifies that fines can be imposed alongside imprisonment for criminal distribution of dangerous drugs.
HB 177 aimed to update state laws regarding tobacco products. The bill proposed expanding the definition of "tobacco" to include alternative nicotine and vapor products, which would subject them to existing tobacco product license fees. It also sought to repeal a state prohibition, thereby allowing local governments to enact their own ordinances banning the sale of all tobacco products, including alternative nicotine and vapor products. This would have affected businesses selling these products and granted new regulatory power to local jurisdictions.
HB 577 proposes a change to the appointment and tenure of the state Highway Patrol Chief. Currently, the Chief holds office until termination for cause. This bill would amend existing law to state that the Highway Patrol Chief would instead "serve at the pleasure of the attorney general." This means the Attorney General could remove the Chief without needing to show cause, and this change would apply to any new appointments made on or after the bill's effective date.
