Senate Bill 9 (SB 9) modifies the deposit schedule for state agencies and institutions in Montana. This bill allows state agencies to deposit cash that does not exceed $200 and total collections that do not exceed $750 every 14 days, rather than the current weekly requirement. Agencies must still deposit funds daily if cash or total collections exceed these amounts. The bill also maintains provisions for agencies to propose alternative deposit schedules, subject to approval by the Department of Administration and the Board of Investments.
HB 142 revises the laws governing legislative interim committees. It increases the number of bill drafts an interim committee can request on a partisan basis from four to five. The bill also clarifies the definitions of "partisan basis" to mean a request voted on by only the majority party, and "bipartisan basis" to mean a request voted on by members from more than one party. These changes affect how interim committees can propose new legislation for future sessions.
HB 238 revises laws concerning mental and physical evaluations for individuals seeking or holding professional licenses. The bill establishes a standard process allowing licensing boards or the Department of Labor and Industry to require an evaluation if there is an objective and reasonable belief that a licensee or applicant poses a significant risk of substantial harm to public health and safety. These evaluations determine how any mental or physical impairment, disability, or substance use might impact professional performance and safety. Refusal to comply with such an evaluation can lead to the summary suspension of a license or the halting of an application.
HB 241 enacts the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), allowing licensed psychologists to provide services across state lines. This bill enables psychologists licensed in a compact state to offer telepsychology services or temporary in-person services (up to 30 days annually) in other compact states without needing separate licenses. It establishes a framework for mutual recognition of licenses, defines requirements for cross-state practice, and creates a system for sharing licensure and disciplinary information among member states. The compact aims to increase public access to psychological services while maintaining regulatory oversight and accountability for psychologists. It directly affects licensed psychologists and their clients across participating states.
HB 253 mandates that the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) disclose specific health information daily during a declared public health emergency. This bill requires the DPHHS to publish on its website the total number of individuals hospitalized and those who have died due to the emergency, while adhering to confidentiality laws. For these categories, the department must provide breakdowns by age group, gender, length of hospitalization, date of death, and any contributing underlying conditions or personal characteristics. The aim is to provide the public with detailed, aggregated data about the health impacts of an emergency.
SB 132 revises laws for individuals under 21 years of age who possess or unlawfully attempt to purchase alcohol, marijuana, or other intoxicating substances. The bill creates separate crimes for these actions and establishes a tiered penalty system based on the offender's age and the number of prior offenses. Penalties include fines, community service, and mandatory participation in substance abuse information courses, with parents or guardians also required to complete courses for offenders under 18. Repeat offenders may face driver's license confiscation or suspension, chemical dependency assessments, and potential jail time for those 18 and older.
SB 338 authorizes a "benefits administrator" to receive workers' compensation payments on behalf of minor children or individuals deemed incompetent. This expands the list of parties who can receive such payments, which previously included parents, guardians, or conservators. The bill grants the workers' compensation judge the authority to appoint and terminate these benefits administrators. Parties can petition the judge for this appointment without needing to satisfy other dispute resolution requirements first.
Senate Bill 456 revises professions and occupations laws related to the dispensing of drugs by medical practitioners. It allows health care staff, other than the practitioner, to convey dispensed drugs to patients at the practitioner's office. For this to happen, the practitioner must first prepare and seal the drugs with two forms of identification on the package. The staff member is then required to verify the patient's identity before handing over the medication. The bill maintains other requirements for practitioners who dispense drugs, such as registration with the board of pharmacy.
SB 280 revises the grant requirements for Montana's domestic violence intervention program. The bill allows the Montana Board of Crime Control to provide grants to communities. These grants are specifically for funding probation or compliance officers who monitor individuals charged with or convicted of certain domestic violence offenses, such as partner or family member assault, strangulation, or protection order violations, to ensure they follow court-ordered requirements. The legislation also continues to allow grants for courts to implement offender intervention programs.
Senate Bill 5 (SB 5) revises the compensation for members of county tax appeal boards. It increases the daily pay for these board members when they meet to hear property tax appeals or attend state-level meetings. Specifically, the compensation for 4 hours of work or less will increase from $45 to $60, and for more than 4 hours, it will increase from $90 to $120. This change directly affects county tax appeal board members in Montana and will become effective on July 1, 2025.
SB 12 eliminates the Board of County Printing and transfers all of its duties to the Department of Administration. This bill means the Department of Administration will now be responsible for setting and annually adjusting the maximum prices that can be charged for county legal advertising, using an inflation factor. Additionally, the department will adopt necessary printing standards for county legal advertising and ensure county commissioners receive the updated price schedules. This change centralizes the oversight of county printing services under the Department of Administration.
SB 11 revises the laws governing local government ballot issues for cities, towns, counties, and consolidated city-counties. The bill establishes new requirements and procedures for local electors to propose, repeal, or amend ordinances through petitions. Key provisions include mandating that petitions address a single comprehensive subject and requiring signatures from at least 15% of the local government's qualified electors. It also outlines a process for submitting sample petitions for review by local government attorneys, who must then prepare a concise, impartial statement of purpose and implication, as well as "yes" and "no" statements for the ballot.
