HB 364 proposes to update laws concerning student immunizations and exemptions in K-12 schools. It would require school governing authorities to submit written reports on student immunization and exemption data to state and local health departments. These reports must only contain deidentified or aggregate information, ensuring student privacy. The Department of Public Health and Human Services would determine the specific form and schedule for these reports.
HB 885 aims to improve customer service for Medicaid applicants and recipients in Montana. It requires the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) to implement mobile-first technology for online applications and renewals, utilize text and email for communications, and ensure written notices are in plain language and translated. The bill also mandates the DPHHS to provide expected wait times and callback options for hotline callers and to reopen 10 local public assistance offices by June 30, 2026. Additionally, it establishes quarterly reporting requirements to the legislature on various Medicaid client service metrics.
HB 697 clarifies that public employees in Montana do not have an expectation of privacy in electronic communications sent or received through systems provided and managed by their public agency. This means that any communications, including personal ones, made using public agency equipment are subject to public records laws and agency policies. As a result, public agencies would not be required to review these communications for privacy implications when responding to public information requests.
HB 453 would require the Department of Revenue to establish a program allowing taxpayers to pay state income taxes using cryptocurrency. The department would contract with third-party payment processors to convert cryptocurrency payments into U.S. dollars before the state receives them. A key provision is that using cryptocurrency for state tax payments would not be considered a taxable event for state capital gains tax purposes. This bill would affect taxpayers choosing to pay their state income taxes with cryptocurrency, applying to income tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.
Senate Bill 413 creates the crime of "disclosing explicit synthetic media," also known as deepfakes, directly affecting individuals who create or share AI-generated content and protecting those falsely depicted. The bill makes it an offense to knowingly share synthetic media portraying an identifiable person engaged in sexual conduct or depicting intimate body parts without their consent, if it would cause substantial emotional distress. It also criminalizes disclosing such media with intent to harass or threaten, or possessing and threatening to disclose it for extortion. Penalties include fines and jail time, with increased penalties for repeat offenses or if the depicted person is under 18, though exceptions exist for reporting crimes, research, or legal proceedings.
SB 25 regulates the use of artificial intelligence (AI) generated content, specifically "deepfakes," in election communications within Montana. It prohibits individuals, political entities, and corporations from distributing deepfakes of candidates or political parties in election communications within 60 days before an election. This prohibition applies unless the communication includes a clear disclosure stating that the content has been significantly edited by AI and depicts false speech or conduct. The bill outlines specific formatting requirements for this disclosure across various media, including print, television, and internet communications. It also provides for injunctive relief, damages, and penalties for violations.
HB 631 revises student data privacy laws by amending the definition of "K-12 school purposes" in Section 20-7-1324, MCA. This change means that the existing data privacy protections for K-12 online applications will no longer apply to courses taken for postsecondary (college) credit. It also excludes work-based learning courses from these specific K-12 data privacy regulations. This bill aims to remove barriers to postsecondary opportunities by clarifying which educational activities fall under K-12 online application privacy rules.
