HB 9 appropriates funds for cultural and aesthetic projects across Montana for the biennium ending June 30, 2027. It allocates $30,000 from the cultural and aesthetic projects trust fund to the Montana Historical Society for capitol complex artwork care. Additionally, it appropriates $953,500 from the same fund to the Montana Arts Council, which will award grants to numerous listed cultural and artistic organizations. Grant recipients are required to acknowledge that the funding originates from coal tax placed into Montana's Cultural and Aesthetic Projects Trust Fund. Any unspent grant money will revert to the trust fund after June 30, 2027.
HB 602 requires school districts in Montana to provide written notice to their board of trustees when staff cuts occur due to insufficient funding. The district superintendent (or principal in districts without one) must submit this notice, prompting the board to add it to the next meeting agenda and allow public comment. This applies specifically to reductions in force affecting teachers, excluding routine nonrenewals under existing law. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, ensuring transparency around funding-driven staffing decisions.
HB 686 revises laws related to physician assistants in Montana. It transitions the licensing and oversight of physician assistants from the Board of Medical Examiners to the Department of Labor and Industry. This change reduces the size of the Board of Medical Examiners. The bill also requires physician assistants with fewer than 8,000 hours of clinical experience to practice under a collaborative agreement with a licensed physician or an experienced physician assistant.
HB 432 revises water laws by creating exceptions to the standard process for changing water appropriation rights. It allows certain appropriators, including public water supply systems, individual well owners, and municipalities, to make specific changes without prior approval from the department. These changes include constructing redundant wells, replacing existing wells or points of diversion, and adjusting municipal places of use or stock watering systems. Instead of prior approval, appropriators must file a notice of change with the department within a set timeframe after completing the alteration, provided they meet specific conditions outlined in the bill.
HB 684 eliminates a specific deadline that previously required the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to review data used for water quality assessments. This bill amends Section 75-5-702, MCA, removing the requirement for the DEQ to complete these data reviews within a set timeframe. This change primarily affects the DEQ's operational procedures for monitoring state waters and assessing their quality, as well as individuals and entities who submit water quality data for review.
HB 768 revises civil liability laws concerning equine activities, affecting equine activity sponsors, professionals, and participants. The bill generally limits the liability of sponsors and professionals for injuries or death resulting from the inherent risks of equine activities. However, it maintains liability in specific situations, such as when the sponsor or professional provides faulty equipment, fails to assess a participant's ability, or acts with willful disregard for safety. The bill also establishes new requirements for liability waivers, mandating they state inherent risks and include a specific bold warning about waiving legal rights, including for ordinary negligence. Importantly, it clarifies that these waivers can still be legally challenged on other grounds.
This bill expands Montana's job growth incentive tax credit program to include apprentices working in the construction industry. It amends state tax laws to officially classify construction apprentices as "qualifying new employees" for the purpose of calculating tax credits when employers hire them. Companies hiring apprentices in construction can now receive the same annual tax credit benefits as those hiring other new employees, provided the apprentices meet specific wage and employment duration requirements. The legislation also updates administrative procedures for how the Department of Labor and Industry processes credit applications and audits employer claims. These changes are set to remain in effect through December 31, 2028.
HB 897 establishes a new Class F license for nonresidents to participate in shed hunting within Montana's wildlife management areas, requiring a $50 fee. The bill implements a 7-day waiting period, granting residents access to these areas for shed hunting a week prior to nonresidents. It also defines "shed hunt" and "shed hunting," and sets penalties for nonresidents who violate the new licensing or waiting period rules, ranging from a warning to fines and loss of privileges for repeat offenses.
HB 882 generally revises alcohol laws, primarily impacting businesses like golf courses, hotels, ski hills, and guest ranches that hold alcohol licenses. The bill expands the permissible locations for these licensees to sell and serve alcoholic beverages on their properties. For instance, golf courses can now sell from additional buildings per 9 holes and portable devices, while hotels and ski hills can have multiple separate licensed alcohol service structures. Guest ranches gain clearer rules for serving in outdoor areas and various temporary or permanent structures. Licensees must pay an application fee for each additional service area.
HB 495, titled the "Repeal federal mandates act," repeals the existing Federal Mandates Act in Montana. This bill removes sections 2-1-401 through 2-1-409 of the Montana Code Annotated. These repealed sections previously outlined the state's framework for addressing federal mandates, including legislative declarations, definitions, reporting requirements, and legislative oversight of federal statutes and executive orders. The bill revises reporting requirements by eliminating these specific provisions.
HB 669 revises laws concerning educational programs for children receiving in-state inpatient treatment for serious emotional disturbances, directly affecting these children, their school districts, and qualifying treatment facilities. The bill authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to contract with facilities to deliver these educational programs, establishing a daily rate for services based on actual costs. Funding responsibility is shared, with the SPI paying the facility the daily rate minus a contribution from the child's school district of residence. It also clarifies the SPI's rulemaking authority for tuition calculations and outlines alternative methods for providing education if a facility fails to offer appropriate programs or contract with the state.
HB 819 revises laws regarding flag and banner displays on government property in Montana. The bill restricts displays on state buildings, grounds, public schools, and other government-owned facilities to a specific list of flags. Permitted flags include official governmental, military, historical, school-related, and law enforcement flags. It explicitly prohibits flags or banners that represent a political viewpoint, such as those related to political parties, race, sexual orientation, gender, or political ideology, while clarifying it does not limit private speech.
