This bill creates a pilot program to support Montana schools in implementing student-led mental health initiatives. The Office of Public Instruction will administer the program by awarding grants to school districts that demonstrate a specific need for mental health support and show evidence of broad community involvement from students, parents, staff, and local organizations. Each grant will provide between $10,000 and $50,000 for two years, with funds restricted to mental health promotion activities such as counseling access, peer mentoring, schedule modifications, and community-building programs. Participating districts must report annually on how they used the funds and evaluate the program's effectiveness, while the state will provide $250,000 in initial funding to distribute grants starting in 2025.
This bill authorizes the creation of speech-language pathology aides and audiology aides in Montana without requiring them to hold a professional license. Under the new rules, these aides must work under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist for at least 20% of their time and cannot perform tasks requiring independent clinical judgment. The bill gives the professional licensing board authority to establish specific qualifications and define the scope of work for these support staff members. This change aims to expand access to support services while maintaining oversight through licensed professionals.
This bill establishes a grant program in Montana to help fire departments, hospitals, and law enforcement agencies install and maintain newborn safety devices. The state Department of Public Health and Human Services will manage the program, awarding up to $20,000 per eligible organization from an initial $160,000 appropriation. The program includes requirements for applications, evaluation criteria, and reporting, with the department submitting results to the state committee by September 2027. The funding is available for the two-year period from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027, after which any unspent funds return to the general fund.
This bill creates a new Department of Health Services in Montana and transfers human services functions from the Department of Public Health and Human Services to this new agency. The transferred functions include developmental disabilities services, mental health care, chemical dependency treatment, and veterans' long-term care services. The bill also requires all contracts for third-party human services to include dispute resolution clauses and updates state code definitions related to department performance and structure.
This bill creates a $1,000 refundable income tax credit for Montana volunteer firefighters and volunteer emergency medical technicians (EMTs). To qualify, individuals must be active, unpaid members of a certified fire company or emergency medical service for the entire calendar year and complete 30+ hours of required training. The credit reduces tax liability, with any excess refunded even if the taxpayer owes no income tax. The bill explicitly states its purpose is to retain and recruit volunteer emergency responders.
SB 109 revises Montana's workers' compensation law by expanding the definition of "treating physician." This bill includes physical therapists within that definition, allowing them to serve as primary treating providers for injured workers. This change directly affects workers seeking care for injuries and physical therapists providing treatment under workers' compensation claims. The bill amends Section 39-71-116, MCA.
HB 310 proposed establishing a state matching grant program to increase community shelter capacity for the homeless population. Administered by the Department of Public Health and Human Services, these grants would help local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations. The funds would specifically target services for senior citizens, veterans, survivors of domestic violence, youth transitioning from foster care, and individuals with mental health or substance use disorders. Applicants would be required to provide matching funds and collaborate with existing homelessness service providers. The bill appropriated $2 million from the general fund for the program, which was set to operate from July 2025 to June 2027.
This bill, HB 540, aims to revise the powers of the Department of Corrections (DOC) by allowing it to contract with private corporations to establish and maintain certain facilities and programs. Specifically, it amends existing law regarding who the DOC can contract with for services like prerelease and treatment centers, residential methamphetamine treatment programs, and residential sexual offender treatment programs. While existing law already allows contracting with private,
HB 748 sought to revise the marijuana possession and purchase limits for registered medical marijuana cardholders in Montana. The bill proposed increasing the amount of usable marijuana a cardholder could possess from 1 ounce to 5 ounces. It also aimed to raise both the maximum monthly and daily purchase limits for these cardholders from 1 ounce to 5 ounces. The legislation maintained the existing process for cardholders to petition for an exception to the monthly limit if confirmed by their physician.
SB 394 would have expanded Montana's workers' compensation system to cover posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for eligible first responders. It defines "first responder" to include firefighters, law enforcement officers, detention center/prison staff, and emergency care providers, requiring a diagnosis per the latest DSM-5 manual that links PTSD directly to work duties. The bill amended existing laws to allow PTSD claims under workers' compensation, subject to standard procedural requirements. However, this bill was vetoed by the Governor on June 9, 2025, so it did not become law.
