Labor & Employment

signed · Montana · House May 13, 2025

HB 823: Revise laws relating to the state plan committee

HB 823 revises the State Plan Committee, which oversees career and technical education in Montana. It expands the committee by adding three new members appointed by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry, representing the state workforce innovation board, business, and labor communities. The bill also coordinates the committee's meetings with the Montana State Workforce Innovation Board and requires its state plan to align with the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act combined state plan.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAdds labor community representatives to workforce committee, aligning with federal labor frameworks to strengthen worker input in education planning.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Montana · House May 13, 2025

HB 543: Repeal termination date on reporting and disclosure of violence against health care employees

HB 543 repeals the termination date for laws requiring the reporting and disclosure of violence against healthcare employees. Previously, these reporting requirements were set to expire on a specific date. By repealing that sunset clause, this bill makes the reporting and disclosure obligations permanent. This ensures that information about violence affecting healthcare workers will continue to be collected and shared indefinitely.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRepeals sunset clause for violence reporting against healthcare workers, ensuring permanent safety data collection to protect staff and maintain healthcare service integrity.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRepeals sunset clause on violence reporting, ensuring ongoing workplace safety protections for healthcare workers under Labor & Employment.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Montana · House May 8, 2025

HB 346: Exempt Commerce grants and loans from MEPA

HB 346 exempts various grant and loan programs from environmental review requirements under the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). This bill directly affects the Department of Commerce, Board of Housing, and other commissions by removing the need for environmental assessments when authorizing or administering these specific programs. The exemptions apply to programs supporting microbusiness development, historic preservation, workforce training, housing finance, and other economic development initiatives. This aims to streamline the process for providing financial assistance through these identified programs.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentExempts Commerce programs from MEPA environmental reviews, weakening oversight and protections by removing required assessments for projects.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingExempts housing finance programs from MEPA, facilitating implementation and supporting housing development as explicitly listed in bill summary.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill exempts workforce training programs from MEPA reviews, facilitating faster implementation of employment-focused initiatives under Department of Commerce programs.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Montana · House May 8, 2025

HB 358: Generally revise pension laws related to the Volunteer Firefighters' Compensation Act

HB 358 revises the pension benefits for eligible volunteer firefighters under the Volunteer Firefighters' Compensation Act. The bill increases the full monthly pension benefit from $175 to $200. It maintains the calculation for partial pension benefits based on years of service and includes provisions for additional increases for those who serve beyond 20 years, with further conditional increases for service beyond 30 years if the pension fund is actuarially sound. These changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases pension benefits for volunteer firefighters (from $175 to $200), expanding worker benefits. Directly strengthens employment standard (pension) for a specific worker group.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Montana · Senate May 8, 2025

SB 223: Allow interest earned on workforce housing appropriations to be retained

SB 223 amends an existing law to ensure that any interest or income earned from a $12 million fund for workforce housing is retained within that fund. This fund is specifically allocated to assist employees working at state facilities that house state inmates or behavioral health patients, particularly in eligible rural counties. By retaining the earned interest, the bill aims to increase the total resources available for initiatives such as buying down construction costs, providing loans, or acquiring housing for these employees. The bill takes effect immediately and applies retroactively to interest earned on or after June 14, 2023.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRetains interest in workforce housing fund to increase resources for housing initiatives, promoting fiscal responsibility and funding essential programs within state appropriations.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingRetains interest in workforce housing fund, increasing resources for housing initiatives in rural counties, directly funding affordable housing development.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRetains interest in workforce housing fund to increase resources for employee housing at state facilities, directly supporting employment conditions for workers in eligible rural counties.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 336: Provide for apprenticeship programs for certain license types

HB 336 establishes an alternative pathway for individuals to obtain professional licenses in various occupations through apprenticeship programs. It requires state boards and programs to grant licenses to applicants who successfully complete a nationally recognized apprenticeship in their field. This applies to a wide range of professions, including barbers, cosmetologists, addiction counselors, licensed practical nurses, plumbers, and electricians. Applicants pursuing licensure via an apprenticeship must still meet the same examination and fee requirements as those who complete traditional educational programs.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEstablishes apprenticeship pathway for professional licenses, expanding workforce access to regulated professions and advancing employment standards under Labor & Employment.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 656: Revising the fund structure and use of employment security account

HB 656 revises the use of the state's Employment Security Account and transfers the Office of Community Service. The bill amends state law to allow funds from the Employment Security Account to be used for administering the Office of Community Service and for enforcing state and federal anti-discrimination laws. Additionally, it moves the Office of Community Service from the Governor's office to the Department of Labor and Industry.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRedirects Employment Security funds to enforce anti-discrimination laws and moves Office of Community Service to Labor Dept, strengthening worker protections.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 428: Revising provisions related to workers compensation

HB 428 revises workers' compensation laws, primarily by clarifying the definition of "employer" for various entities and their workers. The bill specifies who is considered an employer for temporary workers, motor carriers, certain religious organizations, and fiscal agents making payments on behalf of workers. It also requires employers and insurers to annually submit reports detailing paid losses to help fund workers' compensation administration. Additionally, the legislation modifies the frequency of summary reports submitted by insurers and revises provisions related to medical status forms.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentClarifies employer definitions for temporary workers and mandates reporting to fund workers' comp administration, ensuring consistent coverage and system stability for worker benefits.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Montana · Senate Apr 17, 2025

SB 208: Revise definition of "dependent child" in highway patrol, police, and firefighter retirement systems

SB 208 revises the definition of "dependent child" within the retirement systems for highway patrol officers, police officers, and firefighters. For the Highway Patrol Officers' retirement system, the bill removes the requirement that a deceased member must have been "retired" for their child to be considered a dependent. This means an unmarried child under 18, or under 24 if a full-time student, of any deceased member may now qualify for benefits. The bill also updates the specific age and student status criteria for dependent children in the Police Officers' retirement system, and aims to make similar revisions for firefighters.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands dependent benefits for public safety retirees' families, strengthening employment benefits under retirement systems by removing eligibility barriers.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Montana · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 143: Revise definition of treating physician to include physician assistants without regard to proximity of other providers

HB 143 revises the definition of "treating physician" within the state's Workers' Compensation Act. This bill expands the definition to explicitly include physician assistants (PAs). A key provision is the removal of any requirement for PAs to be in proximity to other medical providers to qualify as a treating physician for these purposes. This change affects how workers' compensation claims are managed and potentially broadens the types of healthcare providers recognized for injured workers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands recognition of physician assistants as treating providers in workers' compensation, removing proximity barriers to improve access to healthcare services for injured workers.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands workers' compensation access by including PAs as treating physicians without proximity restrictions, strengthening injured workers' benefit access under Labor & Employment.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment