Immigration

died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 469: Revise the exemption for out-of-state driver's licenses

HB 469 revises state law regarding the recognition of out-of-state driver's licenses for non-residents operating motor vehicles. The bill clarifies that a non-resident's license is not valid if it belongs to a class of licenses issued exclusively to individuals unlawfully present in the United States. It mandates the Motor Vehicle Division of the Department of Justice to establish rules for identifying and classifying these specific out-of-state licenses.

Topics ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationRestricts driver's license access for undocumented immigrants by invalidating out-of-state licenses issued to unlawfully present individuals.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Immigration

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 755: Prohibit ownership of private property within state by certain foreign individuals and entities

HB 755 sought to prohibit certain non-resident aliens and foreign entities from owning real property within the state. The bill defined "alien" as any person not a U.S. citizen or national and not a resident of the state, and "foreign entity" as one organized or principally based in a foreign country. If an affected individual or entity owned property, they would be required to divest within six months, after which the property could be sold at public auction. The Attorney General or county attorney would have been able to enforce these provisions, which were set to apply to property purchased on or after January 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationRestricts property ownership for non-resident aliens and foreign entities, limiting immigrant protections as defined by bill's scope.95% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 805: Generally revise workers' compensation laws

HB 805 aims to revise existing workers' compensation laws. The bill would make individuals who are unlawfully employed aliens ineligible to receive workers' compensation benefits. Additionally, it mandates that an insurer must close a workers' compensation claim if the claimant leaves the United States or certain territories while their claim is active. These changes directly affect individuals applying for workers' compensation and the insurers responsible for processing claims.

Topics ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationDenies workers' comp benefits to unlawfully employed aliens, restricting access to state services based on immigration status per bill's explicit language.95% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRestricts workers' compensation eligibility for unlawfully employed aliens and claimants leaving the US, directly limiting access to benefits under labor protections.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Immigration

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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 | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Immigration

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 709: Create the crime of human smuggling

HB 709 sought to establish the crime of "human smuggling" in Montana, targeting individuals and entities who knowingly transport or harbor people who have unlawfully entered the United States without federal inspection. Individuals convicted of this crime would face penalties including imprisonment, a substantial fine, or both. Entities found guilty would lose their eligibility for certain state tax exemptions. Additionally, the bill included provisions for the criminal forfeiture of property, such as vehicles and funds, if used in or derived from the crime of human smuggling.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new crime of human smuggling, expanding criminalization without reform elements per indicators.90% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationBill criminalizes transporting/harboring undocumented immigrants with penalties, increasing state enforcement against activities aiding undocumented individuals, directly opposing immigrant protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 439: Creating sheriffs' first initiative for cooperation and communication

HB 439, "Creating sheriffs' first initiative for cooperation and communication," aimed to regulate arrests, searches, and seizures conducted by federal employees and agents in Montana. The bill would have required federal personnel, unless designated as state peace officers, to obtain written permission from the county sheriff before making an arrest, search, or seizure. It provided exceptions for situations like operations on federal land or when an immediate arrest for a witnessed crime was necessary. For some exceptions, permission from the state attorney general would have been required. The bill also allowed county sheriffs discretion on whether to implement these provisions and declared federal laws granting federal employees sheriff-like authority invalid in the state.

Topics ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationBill requires sheriff permission for federal arrests/seizures, limiting federal immigration enforcement actions without state consent, aligning with 'limits cooperation with federal enforcement' indicator.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Immigration

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signed · Montana · House May 6, 2025

HB 226: Provide for a legal employment and government accountability law

House Bill 226, titled the "Legal Employment and Government Accountability Law," requires employers to verify the legal work authorization of all employees before they start working. Employers must use either the federal E-Verify program or a completed Form I-9 with supporting documents to confirm eligibility. The Department of Labor and Industry is authorized to enforce this law through investigations, audits, and rulemaking. Non-compliance can lead to civil penalties, including fines for each individual employed in violation and potential suspension of business licenses for repeat offenses. A dedicated state special revenue fund will collect these penalties to support the law's implementation and administration.

Topics ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationRequires employer verification of legal work status via E-Verify/I-9, restricting unauthorized employment access - clear immigration enforcement measure95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Immigration

signed · Montana · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 278: Require peace officer to check and report immigration status during lawful stop

HB 278 requires peace officers, during a lawful investigative stop, to make a reasonable attempt to determine a person's immigration status, unless it is impractical or would hinder an investigation. If the officer determines the person is not lawfully present in the United States, the bill mandates that this information be reported to a federal immigration agency. This affects peace officers by adding new duties during stops and impacts individuals who are lawfully stopped, as their immigration status may now be checked and reported.

Topics ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationMandates state officers to check/report immigration status to federal agencies, increasing state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement per bill language.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Immigration

signed · Montana · House Apr 7, 2025

HB 214: Provide for prosecution of state crimes for persons subject to federal immigration detention

HB 214 allows Montana to prosecute individuals for state criminal offenses even if they are in federal immigration detention for immigration violations. It directly affects people detained under federal immigration authority who commit crimes in Montana. The bill's key provision permits state prosecutors to initiate criminal cases against these individuals and requires Montana to hold them until their state trial concludes before transferring them to federal custody. This law, signed by the governor on April 7, 2025, amends state procedures to coordinate state criminal proceedings with federal immigration processes.

Topics ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationAllows Montana to prosecute immigrants in federal detention for state crimes, increasing state-level immigration enforcement and mandating state custody during trials.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Immigration