Healthcare

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 382: Establish the specie legal tender act

The provided bill text, identified as Senate Bill 382, focuses on revising laws related to immunization exemptions, which differs from the title "Establish the specie legal tender act" for HB 382. Based on the provided text, this bill mandates that various entities, including state agencies, schools, child care facilities, and licensed health care providers, must accept religious or informed consent exemptions for required immunizations, injections, or medications for employment or attendance. It establishes that denying such an exemption is an unlawful discriminatory practice. Non-compliant entities could face a loss of state funding, and individuals denied an exemption may file complaints and seek compensatory damages. The bill also clarifies and strengthens the existing provisions for religious, medical, and informed consent exemptions for school attendance.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill mandates acceptance of immunization exemptions for school attendance, weakening health standards required for educational environments.85% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill mandates exemptions for immunizations in healthcare settings, weakening mandatory vaccination requirements and public health initiatives.85% confidence

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signed · Montana · Senate May 5, 2025

SB 163: Generally revise privacy laws related to biometric, genetic, and neural data

SB 163 revises Montana's Genetic Information Privacy Act by expanding its scope to include neurotechnology data. The bill extends privacy protections to information concerning an individual's central or peripheral nervous system activity, such as brain data, collected by various devices. It adds new definitions for neurotechnology and neurotechnology data, and revises provisions related to privacy notices and exceptions. The intent is to safeguard consumers' sensitive neurotechnology data, particularly when collected by non-invasive devices outside of medical settings. This aims to provide similar privacy protections for neurotechnology data as currently exist for genetic data.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands privacy protections for neurotechnology data, directly safeguarding sensitive health information under healthcare privacy standards90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyExpands privacy protections to neural data under Montana's Genetic Information Privacy Act, explicitly safeguarding sensitive neurotechnology data per bill intent.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection

signed · Montana · House May 19, 2025

HB 867: Revise labor laws relating to the medical assistance program

HB 867 establishes a medical assistance program specifically for licensed chiropractors and veterinarians. This program provides support and monitors rehabilitation for these professionals who are impaired by substance abuse, mental illness, or chronic physical illness. To fund this initiative, the bill allows the respective boards to adjust the license renewal fees for chiropractors and veterinarians. It also updates existing laws concerning the confidentiality and auditing of professional medical assistance programs to include these new licensee groups.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes medical assistance program for impaired chiropractors/vets, funding via license fees to support healthcare workforce well-being and rehabilitation services.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

signed · Montana · House May 19, 2025

HB 869: Provide for the sudden cardiac arrest prevention in youth sports

HB 869, titled "Provide for the sudden cardiac arrest prevention in youth sports," establishes measures to prevent sudden cardiac arrest in youth athletes. It requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop informational resources on cardiac arrest symptoms and risks. Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, schools with athletic programs must implement cardiac emergency response plans, including accessible automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and staff training in CPR and AED use. Coaches will be required to be certified in CPR, first aid, and AED use, and hold informational meetings for parents and athletes. The bill also allows coaches or officials to remove athletes exhibiting cardiac arrest symptoms, who then require written medical clearance to return to play, and clarifies that AED purchases are an allowable expenditure for school safety.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates school athletic safety protocols including AEDs and CPR training, enhancing student protection within educational settings per Schools and Education subject.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires schools to implement cardiac emergency response plans with AEDs and CPR training, directly advancing public health safety measures for youth athletes.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

died · Montana · Legislature May 23, 2025

LC 897: Enact psychology interjurisdictional compact

This bill aimed to establish a multi-state compact for psychology licensing, allowing licensed psychologists in participating states to practice across state lines without needing separate licenses in each state. It would have directly affected licensed psychologists seeking to work in multiple states and state licensing boards managing professional credentials. The key mechanism would have been a standardized agreement between states to recognize each other's licenses, reducing administrative barriers. However, the bill died in committee in May 2025 and never became law.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables cross-state psychology practice, reducing licensing barriers and improving mental health service access for patients across states.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Tags Licensing

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 737: Generally revise suicide prevention laws

HB 737, titled "Generally revise suicide prevention laws," establishes a voluntary do-not-sell list to aid in suicide prevention for Montana citizens. This bill allows individuals to voluntarily waive their firearm rights by adding themselves to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) indices, restricting them from purchasing firearms. Voluntary waiver forms would be made available by state departments, courts, medical professionals, and local law enforcement. Individuals can request removal from the list, which typically takes 21 days, or seek expedited removal through a court hearing within two business days. The bill also provides for the confidentiality of waiver documents and prohibits discrimination based on a person's voluntary waiver, while outlining penalties for false statements or coercion.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill integrates mental health prevention through voluntary firearm restrictions, involving medical professionals to protect public health and reduce suicide risk.95% confidence

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 25, 2025

LC 855: Establish the Senior and Long-Term Care Home and Community-Based Services Access and Stabilization Act

This bill creates the "Senior and Long-Term Care Home and Community-Based Services Access and Stabilization Act" to improve access to care for seniors and disabled Montanans. It requires Montana's Department of Public Health and Human Services to shift Medicaid-covered assisted living services from the Big Sky Waiver program to the lower-cost Community First Choice Option program by 2026, updating room and board payment rules (tying payments to SSI or income minus $200) to reflect current costs. The savings generated from this shift must be used to serve over 300 individuals currently waiting for services on the Big Sky Waiver program's waiting list. The bill also mandates quarterly reporting on program costs, waiting lists, and service usage to track progress.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareShifts Medicaid services to lower-cost Community First Choice program to improve senior care access, updating payments to reflect current costs and stabilize services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Public Health

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 25, 2025

LC 3802: Revise medicaid buy-in program to include children with disabilities

This bill (LC 3802) expands Montana's Medicaid Buy-In Program to include children with disabilities who were previously ineligible due to asset limits. It removes the $30,000 resource threshold for children under 19 with disabilities seeking coverage through the program, aligning their eligibility criteria with those for adults with disabilities under Section 53-6-195. The change directly affects families of children with disabilities who exceed the prior asset limit but meet income requirements. The bill amends Montana Code Annotated sections 53-6-113 and 53-6-195 to implement this policy change, with funding provided through an appropriation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill expands Medicaid Buy-In program eligibility, increasing state appropriations for healthcare services under State Finance (Subjects: Appropriations, Health Care Services).95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves asset limit for children with disabilities to expand Medicaid coverage, directly increasing healthcare access for a vulnerable population.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 27, 2025

LC 1863: Provide property tax exemption for senior care facilities and housing

This bill (LC 1863) provides a temporary property tax exemption during construction for new senior care and housing development projects. It applies specifically to nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) status) developing facilities for seniors 62+ or 55+ per federal housing rules. Local governments must approve each project via public hearing to confirm community need before the exemption begins. The tax break ends once construction is complete or if the facility is sold to a for-profit entity.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesProvides temporary property tax exemption for nonprofits, reducing local government revenue during construction.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProvides tax exemption for nonprofit senior care facilities, enabling development of healthcare infrastructure for elderly residents per federal housing rules.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProvides tax exemption for nonprofit senior housing development, directly encouraging affordable housing construction under federal rules.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives Property Development Property Taxes

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 27, 2025

LC 4163: Authorize transfers and other necessary measures to implement HB 2-Section B

This bill requires Montana's Department of Public Health and Human Services to provide quarterly reports to the Health and Human Services Budget Committee on its progress developing a plan to comply with the Olmstead decision (a Supreme Court ruling requiring community-based care for people with disabilities instead of institutional settings). The reporting obligation begins after the 69th legislative session and continues until September 15, 2026, with the law taking effect July 1, 2025. It directly affects the Department of Public Health and Human Services, mandating regular updates on their Olmstead implementation efforts. The bill does not create new policy but establishes a temporary reporting mechanism for an existing requirement under Chapter 554, Laws of 2023.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates reporting on compliance with Olmstead decision, requiring community-based care for disabled instead of institutional settings, improving healthcare access and patient rights.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

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