Montana's Bill LC 2474 prohibits overnight camping (between dusk and dawn) and storing personal property on state highway right-of-way, including roads, shoulders, ditches, and adjacent areas. It directly affects individuals who camp or leave belongings unattended overnight on highways, with exceptions for emergencies, authorized workers, and designated rest areas (max 24 hours). Enforcement allows law enforcement to issue 72-hour removal notices, impose $50 civil fines for non-compliance, and dispose of unattended property after 120 hours' notice. The bill includes a $15,000 appropriation for implementation and defines key terms like "campsite" and "right-of-way" to clarify scope.
This bill, LC 2425, changes Montana's election rules for certain offices by replacing partisan primaries with a "top two" primary system. Under this system, all candidates for a given office appear on a single primary ballot, and the two candidates receiving the most votes advance to the general election regardless of political party. The bill amends multiple election law sections (including 13-10-201 and 13-10-202) to implement this change for specified offices, though the exact offices are not listed in the provided text. The policy shift directly affects voters participating in these primaries and candidates running for the covered positions, moving toward a nonpartisan primary structure. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This bill creates a temporary "supervised medical graduate" license for Montana medical school graduates who did not secure a residency position. It allows these individuals to practice under direct supervision of a licensed physician for up to two years (with one renewal), requiring them to have passed parts 1 and 2 of the U.S. medical licensing exam and hold an accredited medical degree. The license permits specific duties delegated by a supervising physician - such as patient care in the same facility, with the physician personally treating the patient and being immediately available - while explicitly prohibiting supervision by medical residents. This license does not grant full medical licensure or allow independent practice.
This bill (LC 4454) revises how Montana's Public Service Commission is structured and staffed. It changes the commission to include two elected members (chosen from five districts based on federal congressional districts) and three members appointed by the governor with Senate confirmation. The bill also shortens elected terms to four years (from six), establishes a 12-year term limit for both elected and appointed commissioners, and requires governors to appoint vacancy fillers from the same political party as the former commissioner when possible. These changes directly affect Montana residents (through district representation), the Public Service Commission, governors, and political parties.
This bill temporarily restricts new large-scale groundwater permits in the Fox Hills-Hell Creek aquifer. It allows the Department to suspend or deny permits for withdrawals of 3,000 gallons per minute or more in specific administrative zones (listed in Section 1). The bill also requires a feasibility study on groundwater availability in those zones, funded by a $5,000 appropriation from the general fund, to be completed by June 2025. The restrictions and study are effective immediately and will terminate on June 30, 2027. This directly affects new applicants seeking large groundwater withdrawals in the designated aquifer areas.
This Montana bill requires certain professionals and officials - including healthcare workers, school staff, social workers, law enforcement, and clergy (with limited exceptions) - to report individuals they know are not lawfully present in the U.S. to the Montana Department of Justice. It specifies required report details (e.g., individual’s name, source of knowledge) and mandates audio recording of phone reports while keeping reporters’ identities confidential. The Department of Justice may share reported information with federal immigration agencies, and the bill appropriates $500 for a reporting website and physical forms. It directly affects the listed professionals who must comply with reporting obligations, not the undocumented individuals themselves.
This bill creates the Montana Growth and Opportunity Trust to manage volatile state tax revenue. It requires annual transfers of half of unpredictable tax revenue (like capital gains) into the trust starting in 2027. The trust’s interest earnings are split: half funds five specific state accounts (disaster relief, property tax relief, water development, bridge repairs, and early childhood programs), each receiving up to $15 million yearly, while the other half is reinvested into pension funds and housing infrastructure loans. The bill directly affects state budget operations and provides dedicated funding streams for local government services, housing, and early childhood programs.
This bill requires Montana's state treasurer to transfer all interest earnings from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds into the coal severance tax permanent fund within 10 days of the bill's effective date. It appropriates $100 from the general fund to the Department of Revenue for implementing this transfer. The bill directly affects state financial management by redirecting ARPA-related interest earnings to a specific trust fund established under Montana's constitution, without changing the original ARPA funds' purpose. The transfer is effective immediately upon passage, with no new policy creation - only a procedural adjustment of existing funds.
This bill creates a $10 million grant program to help Montana child care facilities and school districts build or expand early childhood education centers. It provides one-time funding for construction, renovation, equipment, and facility upgrades, requiring grantees to match grant funds with private contributions (at least $1 for every $1 received). The program prioritizes rural areas and locations with high unmet child care demand, as highlighted in the bill’s context. Grants are limited to capital expenses and must align with safety standards, with administrative costs capped at 20% of the total appropriation.
This bill revises Montana's tax rate for agricultural land owned by certain nonprofits. It changes the tax rate from 2.16% to 10 times the standard agricultural tax rate (21.6%) for nonprofit corporations that do not qualify as exempt categories like churches, schools, hospitals, or low-income housing providers. The policy directly affects agricultural property owned by nonprofits not listed in the exceptions (sections 15-6-133(1)(d)(i)-(viii)). This adjustment applies to land acquired after the bill's effective date, increasing tax liability for qualifying nonprofits under this specific provision.
This Montana bill (LC 1155) requires the Department of Environmental Quality to amend a rule by January 2026, creating a new pathway for counties to exclude certain land uses from water quality review. Specifically, counties must demonstrate two conditions: (1) no drinking water wells in the area, and (2) absorption trenches (e.g., septic systems) located at least 1,000 feet from high-quality surface waters. The bill appropriates $10,000 from the general fund to support this rule change and provides guidance for the exclusion process. It takes effect upon passage, with the funding provision starting July 1, 2025.
This bill amends Montana law to implement funding and reporting requirements for behavioral health services and hospital reimbursements. It expands the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Fund to include one-time funding for additional beds at the Montana State Hospital and student loan repayment programs for nurses, LPNs, and psychiatrists at state facilities (prioritizing Montana State Hospital staff). The bill mandates monthly reports on Montana State Hospital hiring efforts and quarterly reports on school and community treatment services for children. Additionally, it directs 2% of hospital utilization fee revenue to support rural critical access hospitals and provide incentive payments to hospitals meeting efficiency and patient-centered care standards.
