Labor & Employment

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.

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.

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.

HB 197 revises Montana's workers' compensation law to change when temporary disability payments end for injured workers. It directly affects employees receiving temporary total disability benefits who are cleared by a doctor to return to full work duties. The bill specifies that benefits must terminate on the exact date a worker is released for full duty - rather than continuing until medical treatment concludes (maximum medical improvement) - if the worker is cleared before or at that point. This change, effective immediately upon the governor's signature on April 7, 2025, streamlines benefit termination while requiring physician documentation of medical stability and job suitability before any benefit change.

This bill makes Montana's community health aide program permanent by removing its previously scheduled expiration date. It directs the Department of Public Health and Human Services to apply for Medicaid coverage for services provided by certified community health aides. The change directly affects community health aides and their patients, particularly in rural and tribal communities, ensuring continued access to essential healthcare services without future legislative renewal.