HB 121 requires public facilities like schools, correctional centers, and libraries to designate multi-occupancy restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping quarters for exclusive use by males or females based on biological sex. It defines "male" and "female" by biological characteristics (chromosomes, reproductive systems), prohibits individuals from entering facilities designated for the opposite sex except for specific exceptions like maintenance or emergencies. The law allows private lawsuits against facilities that fail to enforce these designations or require sharing sleeping quarters with someone of the opposite sex. It directly affects all users of public restrooms, changing areas, and dormitories in covered facilities across Montana.
This bill revises Montana's HELP Act workforce development program by removing the requirement for the state to contract with private companies to provide training and education services. It extends the program's termination date to June 30, 2025, and repeals several outdated sections of prior laws related to the program. The changes directly affect individuals receiving healthcare assistance under Title 53 who may access workforce development services, and shift how workforce development providers are engaged. The bill simplifies service delivery while maintaining reporting requirements for program outcomes and costs.
HB 409 amends Montana law to prohibit courts from using "sliding scale" tests like the "serious questions test" when reviewing requests for preliminary injunctions or temporary restraining orders. The bill requires courts to apply only the standard set by U.S. Supreme Court precedent, which focuses on four factors: likelihood of success on the merits, irreparable harm, balance of equities, and public interest. This directly affects Montana courts and anyone seeking emergency court orders to halt actions (e.g., property disputes or restraining orders). The law takes immediate effect upon signing, ensuring all injunction applications follow federal judicial standards instead of prior Montana court interpretations.
HB 83 creates a dedicated state special revenue account to support Montana's Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force, administered by the Department of Justice. The account accepts funds from donations, grants, or other sources (not new taxes) and requires all spending to align with existing task force guidelines under Montana law. It includes a symbolic $1 initial appropriation for 2025-2027, mandates tribal government notification, and expires June 30, 2033. The bill directly affects the task force and its operations, providing a structured funding mechanism for its work.
SB 320 establishes the Montana-Ireland Trade Commission to study and recommend ways to strengthen commercial ties between Montana and Ireland. The commission, composed of nine members including legislative appointees, state department directors, and two governor-appointed members (one representing Irish American interests and one from a Montana business organization), will analyze trade opportunities and investment potential. It must fund its activities through fundraising and report annually to the legislature, but the bill itself does not create new laws or spending. The commission’s role is purely advisory, focusing on research and recommendations rather than implementing trade programs.
HB 39 repeals Montana's law (Section 13-35-231, MCA) that prohibited political parties from contributing to judicial candidates, including justices of the peace. This change removes a longstanding ban, allowing political parties to make financial contributions to candidates running for judicial office for the first time. The bill also amends campaign finance laws to explicitly permit political party committees to participate in joint fundraising for judicial races. As a result, political parties and judicial candidates will directly be affected by this policy shift.
This bill updates the home value tiers used in school district property tax impact statements from inconsistent amounts to standardized $100,000, $300,000, and $600,000 values. It directly affects homeowners in Montana school districts who receive annual notices about how tax increases would impact their property taxes. The key change requires school districts to calculate tax impacts using these three specific home values instead of previous, mismatched tiers. This aligns the reporting requirements with other statutory references and ensures consistent, clear communication about tax effects.
HB 181 amends Montana law (Section 44-1-1003, MCA) to explicitly include the Capitol complex in the areas where patrol officers may make arrests or serve warrants for offenses involving motor vehicles or vehicle registration. This change directly affects patrol officers, granting them police officer authority for these actions at the Capitol complex, and impacts anyone committing such offenses there. The key mechanism is updating the existing statute to add "capitol complex" to the list of locations covered, aligning it with highways and rest areas. The bill became effective immediately upon the Governor's signature on March 4, 2025.
HB 29 requires Montana's Department of Revenue to review all tax-exempt properties (like those owned by nonprofits or religious organizations) at least once every eight years. It mandates the department to publicly post detailed maps showing each exempt property’s location, owner, legal description, exemption type, and value, organized by county. The law also requires the department to report biennially to the legislature on review results, including numbers of approved/denied exemptions and their estimated values. This bill directly affects property owners utilizing tax exemptions and increases transparency about which properties qualify for exemption under Montana law.
HB 42 revises Montana's highway and transportation laws to improve clarity and consistency, primarily affecting county road management procedures. The bill unifies the definition of "abandonment" across statutes, reorganizes definitions to align with drafting standards, and amends 23 specific sections (e.g., updating county road designation rules in §7-14-2101 and clarifying bridge definitions in §60-1-103). It also includes a standalone provision protecting Tower Rock as a state historic site (§22-3-1101), prohibiting its sale and requiring state ownership. This is a technical revision focused on streamlining existing law, not creating new policies or funding.
HB 41 adds gabapentin to Montana's Schedule V list of controlled substances under the "depressants" category. This change directly affects medical providers who prescribe gabapentin (used for nerve pain, seizures, and other conditions), pharmacists who dispense it, and patients using the medication. The bill amends Montana Code § 50-32-232 to explicitly include gabapentin - identified by its chemical name "1-(aminomethyl)cyclohexaneacetic acid" - in Schedule V depressants alongside drugs like pregabalin. This policy update standardizes gabapentin's regulatory classification without altering its medical use or prescribing rules.
HB 60 is a broad revision bill primarily updating Montana's securities and insurance regulations, not state auditor functions as the title suggests. It revises definitions, streamlines securities registration, shortens the timeframe for filing securities actions (to 1 year after discovery), adjusts eligibility for restitution funds, and updates insurance-related provisions covering telehealth, privacy, producer training, and health trust requirements. The bill also includes an unrelated section of personnel definitions (Section 2-18-101), likely a document error, but its core impact affects securities issuers, insurance companies, and healthcare providers. It passed unanimously and was signed into law on February 27, 2025.
