Healthcare

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 637: Provide for medical aid in dying

HB 637, titled "Provide for medical aid in dying," establishes a legal framework for adults with a terminal illness to request and self-administer medication to end their lives peacefully. To qualify, an individual must be at least 18, have a terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or less, and possess the capacity to make medical decisions. The bill outlines specific requirements for prescribing health care providers, including making multiple determinations about the patient's condition and ensuring an informed, voluntary decision. It also provides immunities for health care providers, requires reporting, and establishes criminal penalties for actions like coercion or altering requests.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables legal end-of-life care option, expanding patient access to healthcare services under terminal illness95% confidence

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signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 397: Revise laws related to privacy in mental health digital service

HB 397 establishes confidentiality standards for mental health digital services. It defines these services as mobile applications or websites that collect, use, or access information related to an individual's mental health or substance use disorder, market themselves as facilitating such services, and use the information for diagnosis, treatment, or management. The bill subjects these services to existing health care information disclosure and confidentiality provisions. It also provides for enforcement and remedies for individuals whose information is disclosed in violation of these standards.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes confidentiality standards for mental health digital services, protecting patient privacy under existing healthcare confidentiality laws, aligning with patient rights and mental health support.92% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyHB 397 extends existing health privacy laws to digital mental health services, enforcing confidentiality standards for data handling in technology platforms, thus protecting user privacy.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse Digital Government

signed · Montana · Senate Apr 17, 2025

SB 347: Revise medical resident licensure laws

SB 347 revises medical resident licensure laws in Montana, directly affecting individuals undergoing medical training in the state. The bill removes unlicensed trainees from existing licensing exemptions, meaning they will now be required to obtain a license. It also revises definitions, including adding "PGY" (post-graduate year) and defining a "Resident" as someone enrolled in an approved residency program who holds a valid resident license to practice medicine. These changes clarify and update the qualifications and licensing requirements for medical residents.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareClarifies medical resident licensure requirements, strengthening professional standards and oversight in healthcare training without restricting access or funding.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 797: Generally revise occupational licensing laws

HB 797, also known as the "Expanding Physician Access Act," aims to revise occupational licensing laws to facilitate the licensure of international physicians. The bill establishes a process for the board to grant provisional licenses to international physicians who meet specific educational, examination, and experience requirements, and have an employment offer from a healthcare provider in the state. These provisional licenses automatically convert to full licenses after three years of continuous active practice in the state. This initiative seeks to remove barriers for internationally licensed physicians to fill vacancies, particularly in rural and primary care settings, while maintaining existing standards of care and licensing requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands physician access by streamlining licensing for international doctors, directly improving healthcare provider availability and patient access.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationFacilitates licensure for international physicians, enabling immigrant doctors to practice healthcare services without restrictive barriers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing Primary Care Tags Licensing

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 474: Require acceptance of religious and personal medical exemptions to required immunizations

SB 474 would have expanded school immunization exemptions in Montana to include religious exemptions and a new "personal medical informed consent" exemption requiring only a notarized statement. This new exemption would allow students to decline vaccines after consulting a healthcare provider (without needing a provider's signature), distinct from the existing medical exemption requiring a healthcare provider's written statement. The bill also amended school immunization laws (20-5-405 and 49-2-312) to prevent schools from being sued for injuries related to exempt students and to block overly burdensome exemption forms. The bill died in committee on May 23, 2025, and never became law.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareExpands vaccine exemptions, weakening school immunization requirements and public health protections by replacing medical exemption standards with less stringent notarized consent.92% confidence

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signed · Montana · House May 13, 2025

HB 806: Generally revising laws related to dietitians and nutritionists

HB 806 generally revises the laws governing dietitians and nutritionists in Montana. The bill updates definitions related to the practice of nutrition and dietetics, and establishes new licensure requirements, including mandatory criminal background checks. It also outlines provisions for qualified supervisors, permits, and transitional licensure for these professionals. Additionally, the bill integrates licensed dietitians and nutritionists into the state's "quality educator" payment framework, affecting their recognition in public schools, special education cooperatives, and correctional facilities.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes licensure requirements and integrates dietitians/nutritionists into state payment framework, enhancing professional access to healthcare services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 475: Regulate restraints on women while giving childbirth

House Bill 475 restricts the use of physical restraints on inmates known to be pregnant during labor and delivery. It generally prohibits restraints unless there are extraordinary circumstances, such as an individualized determination that the inmate is a flight risk or poses a clear threat to themselves or others. Even in these cases, leg or waist restraints are strictly prohibited. The bill also requires that any applied restraints be the least restrictive necessary and removed when the risk is mitigated or at the request of a healthcare professional.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestricts physical restraints on pregnant inmates during childbirth, advancing humane corrections practices and protecting civil rights in custody.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestricts unnecessary restraints on pregnant inmates during labor, protecting maternal health access and safety during childbirth, aligning with healthcare patient rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

signed · Montana · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 253: Mandate disclosure of certain information in public health emergency

HB 253 mandates that the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) disclose specific health information daily during a declared public health emergency. This bill requires the DPHHS to publish on its website the total number of individuals hospitalized and those who have died due to the emergency, while adhering to confidentiality laws. For these categories, the department must provide breakdowns by age group, gender, length of hospitalization, date of death, and any contributing underlying conditions or personal characteristics. The aim is to provide the public with detailed, aggregated data about the health impacts of an emergency.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates public disclosure of health data during emergencies to enhance transparency and public health response, aligning with healthcare protection goals.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 295: Restoring the right for injured worker to choose their own doctor.

SB 295 would restore Montana injured workers' right to choose their own treating physician for initial treatment and ongoing care under workers' compensation, without being forced to use a managed care organization (MCO) or preferred provider organization (PPO) without consent. The bill requires insurers to allow workers to select a physician from a designated list for initial treatment and to change physicians with the insurer's approval (with mediation available if approval is denied). It also mandates that insurers provide individual written notice (not workplace postings) before referring workers to an MCO or PPO. This directly affects injured workers seeking medical treatment for work-related injuries in Montana, giving them more control over their healthcare decisions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestores injured workers' right to choose treating physician, improving healthcare access without insurer-imposed MCO/PPO restrictions.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRestores injured workers' right to choose physicians under workers' comp, protecting healthcare access and advancing labor rights without forced MCO/PPO use.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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signed · Montana · House May 19, 2025

HB 891: Provide subpoena powers to the office of inspector general

HB 891 grants the Office of Inspector General (OIG) within the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) new authority. This bill allows the OIG to issue subpoenas to compel the production of financial records, documents, and data. These subpoenas are specifically for investigations into waste, fraud, or abuse within health care services and public assistance programs administered by the DPHHS. The measure specifies that both the DPHHS director and the inspector general must sign these subpoenas. It also appropriates $5,000 to the DPHHS for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, to implement these provisions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill grants OIG subpoena authority to investigate fraud/waste in healthcare programs, protecting public funds and strengthening program integrity within DPHHS services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health