This bill expands Montana's Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program to include child-care workers employed at licensed day-care centers or registered family or group day-care homes. Under the new provisions, eligible child-care workers would receive scholarships without needing to meet the income eligibility requirements that currently apply to families seeking care for their children. The legislation appropriates $5.5 million annually from the general fund to support these scholarships starting July 1, 2025, and amends existing state code sections to establish the eligibility criteria for child-care workers.
This bill protects employees who volunteer for emergency services, such as firefighting or emergency medical technician work, from being fired by their public or private employers. It requires workers to notify their employers in writing within 30 days of joining a volunteer unit or before accepting a job offer. If an employee is absent or late due to volunteer duties, they must notify their employer and may need to provide documentation from a volunteer supervisor, but they cannot receive regular pay for that time. Employers must decide whether employees can leave work to respond to emergencies, and employees who are terminated in violation of the law can sue for reinstatement, back pay, and attorney fees within one year.
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Public Safety
This bill prevents employers from stopping employees from running for or accepting public office at the city, county, or state level. It also protects workers from retaliation or discrimination if they pursue these public positions. The law requires employers to allow employees on mandatory public service leave to use their own leave time and benefits without permission, and it prohibits requiring work during that leave. Additionally, if an employer permits personal use of company equipment like phones or computers, employees may continue using them while serving in public office. These rules apply to all employers within Montana and aim to remove barriers for workers considering public service roles.
This bill updates the definition of "dependent child" for retired highway patrol officers, police officers, and firefighters in Montana, affecting their retirement and survivor benefits. Under the new rules, a dependent child is an unmarried child under 18, or an unmarried child under 24 who is a full-time student at an accredited school working toward a certificate or degree. The changes apply to three specific retirement systems and clarify eligibility for survivor benefits when a retiree passes away.
This bill amends Montana law to allow property covenants that restrict the sale or lease of homes to individuals with specific incomes or occupations, aiming to preserve workforce housing affordability. The change permits developers or homeowners to legally bind future property sales to buyers who meet certain income or job requirements, ensuring housing remains accessible to workers. By updating the legal framework for land covenants, the legislation enables long-term restrictions on property ownership that support affordable housing goals without requiring government intervention.
This bill prohibits local governments in Montana from creating or enforcing guaranteed income programs, which provide regular cash payments to individuals without requiring work or training. It directly affects cities, counties, school districts, and other local political subdivisions by banning them from adopting ordinances or rules that make such payments. The Attorney General is authorized to issue cease and desist orders to any local government that violates this prohibition and can seek court injunctions if the local government does not comply. This legislation aims to ensure statewide uniformity by preventing local variations in guaranteed income policy implementation.
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Local Government
This bill updates how deputy sheriffs in Montana are paid by changing the percentage of a sheriff's salary used to calculate their compensation. It directly affects deputy sheriffs across the state by establishing new pay ranges based on county population size, with smaller counties using higher percentages than larger ones. The law requires sheriffs to set deputy salaries within specific percentage ranges while also allowing adjustments based on rank within the office. Additionally, the bill clarifies that compensation refers only to base pay, excluding overtime and longevity payments when calculating these percentages.
This bill revises Montana's legal requirements for becoming a firefighter by allowing fire chiefs to make exceptions for individuals with certain criminal convictions. Under current law, applicants cannot have been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment, but this legislation would permit fire chiefs to approve candidates who have been convicted of misdemeanors or felonies, provided the crime does not require registration on the sexual or violent offender registry. The bill also clarifies that physical examination results must be documented in writing and filed with the city or town clerk. These changes directly affect municipal fire departments in Montana and the hiring process for firefighters across the state.
This bill allocates $65 million from Montana's general fund to the Highway Patrol Officers' Retirement System pension fund for fiscal year 2025. The one-time supplemental contribution is intended to address the system's unfunded liability of approximately $65.4 million as of the end of fiscal year 2024. The funding directly benefits active and retired members of the Montana Highway Patrol by strengthening their retirement benefits. The appropriation takes effect on July 1, 2025.
This bill allows retired teachers from Montana's Teachers' Retirement System to return to full-time work for the Superintendent of Public Instruction without losing their retirement benefits. To qualify, retirees must have at least 27 years of service and have received retirement payments for at least two months, while the Superintendent must certify that no qualified non-retired applicants were available for the position. The employer must continue making retirement contributions for these reemployed retirees, and the program is limited to a maximum of five years per individual with a sunset date of June 30, 2031.
