Montana Bills

HB 883 aims to reduce the funding for the State Supreme Court for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025. If passed alongside a general appropriations act, the bill would set the Supreme Court's appropriation at $18 million and void any other appropriations to the court. It also prohibits the transfer of funds or appropriation authority from district court functions to the Supreme Court for that biennium.

House Bill 618, the "Montana Individual Freedom Act," aimed to restrict how state and local government agencies, including the Department of Military Affairs, could use public funds. The bill would have prohibited these agencies from spending money on memberships, goods, or services from organizations that discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, or religion. It also sought to prevent the expenditure of funds on programs related to "diversity, equity, and inclusion" or on political or social activism. The Attorney General would have been granted authority to investigate alleged violations and adopt rules for enforcement.

HB 461 proposes a property tax exemption for certain owner-occupied residential properties. It directly affects homeowners aged 65 or older who have continuously used the property as their primary residence for at least five years. The exemption amount is calculated based on the increase in market value compared to a "base year" when the exemption was first approved. Homeowners must apply annually by March 1, and the exemption can terminate if the property is sold, undergoes new construction or significant remodeling, or is reclassified.

House Bill 132 aimed to revise individual income taxation by allowing taxpayers to deduct a portion of their interest earnings from their Montana taxable income. This proposed deduction would apply to interest income reported on a Form 1099. The bill specified that the amount of the deduction would be limited based on the individual's tax filing status. Essentially, it sought to reduce the state income tax burden for individuals receiving certain interest income.

HB 457 aimed to modify the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program. It proposed changing the family income eligibility requirement from a minimum of 185% of the federal poverty level to 85% of the state median income for each family size. Additionally, the bill sought to appropriate $17 million annually from the general fund to the Department of Public Health and Human Services for the program for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025.

HB 437 would have allowed health care providers in Montana to request the dismissal of criminal charges related to their professional conduct. If a provider filed such a motion, the state would be required to prove in court that the provider's actions were knowingly or purposely committed, not merely negligent, and that they were outside the accepted standards of care. If the state failed to meet this burden of proof, the court would dismiss the complaint, information, or indictment against the health care provider. The bill aimed to provide protections for health care providers.

HB 273, the "Montana Medical Debt Patient Protection Act," aimed to limit how health care providers and third-party collectors pursue medical debt from patients in Montana. The bill would have prohibited certain collection actions, including wage garnishment, placing liens on a patient's primary residence, and reporting adverse information to credit agencies. It also mandated a 180-day waiting period after the first bill before "extraordinary collection actions," such as filing lawsuits or selling debt, could begin, along with requiring a 30-day notice to the patient. Additionally, it sought to provide patients with an opportunity to appeal insurance decisions before a bill went to collections.

HB 737, titled "Generally revise suicide prevention laws," establishes a voluntary do-not-sell list to aid in suicide prevention for Montana citizens. This bill allows individuals to voluntarily waive their firearm rights by adding themselves to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) indices, restricting them from purchasing firearms. Voluntary waiver forms would be made available by state departments, courts, medical professionals, and local law enforcement. Individuals can request removal from the list, which typically takes 21 days, or seek expedited removal through a court hearing within two business days. The bill also provides for the confidentiality of waiver documents and prohibits discrimination based on a person's voluntary waiver, while outlining penalties for false statements or coercion.

HB 205, titled "Revise death penalty laws," aimed to modify the method of execution for individuals sentenced to death in Montana. The bill proposed changing the specific requirement for lethal injection from an ultra-fast-acting barbiturate and a chemical paralytic agent to "a substance or substances in a lethal quantity sufficient to cause death." This change would broaden the types of drugs that could be used in executions. The bill also maintained existing provisions regarding execution dates, confinement, and the selection of witnesses and execution personnel.

House Bill 647 proposes to prohibit nonprofit organizations from leasing state lands or timber. The bill directly affects nonprofit organizations and the state entities responsible for managing state trust lands. It amends several existing state statutes to make it unlawful for any official or employee of a nonprofit organization to lease state lands or timber on behalf of their organization. This change would restrict the state board's authority to lease state trust lands for commercial or other purposes to nonprofits.

HB 915 revises the property taxation of certain wind generation facilities in Montana. The bill reclassifies specific wind generation facilities, moving them from Class Fourteen to Class Thirteen for property tax purposes. This change means these facilities would be taxed at 6% of their market value, which is the rate established for Class Thirteen property. The bill also includes provisions for an immediate effective date and retroactive applicability.

HB 852 aimed to revise laws related to surety bail bonds, significantly expanding the authority and rights of surety bail bond insurance producers. The bill would grant producers powers to apprehend defendants, including across state lines and by force, without requiring a prior court order. It also intended to make producers formal parties in legal proceedings concerning their bonds, giving them rights to notice, participation, and the ability to file motions in court. Additionally, the bill sought to revise procedures for bail determination, forfeiture, and defendant surrender, and regulate communication methods like teletypes between jails and bond agents.