Rep. Dave Bedey

Maddy summaryHB 317 repeals an existing state law that mandated a specific cooperative medical education program. This bill removes the statutory requirement for the Board of Regents to maintain a Memorandum of Understanding with the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. By doing so, it eliminates the legal obligation for these entities to have this particular formal agreement in place for the Idaho college of osteopathic medicine cooperative medical education program. The bill became effective immediately upon passage and approval.

Maddy summaryHB 250 revises state education laws regarding students attending schools outside their home district. The bill clarifies responsibilities for tuition and transportation, particularly for children with disabilities and nonoperating school districts. It allows school boards to deny out-of-district attendance requests if accepting them would jeopardize the district's accreditation, exceed capacity limits, or for students with a recent history of suspension or expulsion (with an exception for special education students). The legislation also updates reporting requirements for out-of-district students and clarifies rules for remote instruction, removing the requirement to seek it from the nearest school district.

Maddy summaryHB 156 revises public education funding by replacing individual school district property tax levies for base budgets with a single countywide property tax levy. This new countywide levy, supported by state aid, will fund the basic operating expenses for all school districts within a county. The bill also adjusts state guaranteed tax base aid from a district to a county level and reduces required tuition payments. These changes impact school districts, local taxpayers, and revise the duties of school and county officials regarding education funding.

Maddy summaryHB 251 revises laws concerning public charter schools, establishing a definition for "public charter school district" to clarify its governing authority as a non-taxing entity. The bill requires the Office of Public Instruction to provide a fiscal analysis for charter school applications and mandates the Board of Public Education to limit costs for new schools, prioritizing those emphasizing personalized and proficiency-based learning. It removes the Board of Public Education's authority to waive statutory requirements in charter contracts. Additionally, the bill allows public charter school districts to receive other forms of public funding and donations, and defines financial obligations for a child's resident school district when serving students with disabilities.

Maddy summaryHB 449 is a bill that eliminates the statutory reference to the Adult Basic Education Fund and its distribution within the Montana Code Annotated. It achieves this by repealing section 20-7-712, which outlines this fund and its distribution. This change primarily affects the legal framework governing adult basic education funding in Montana by removing this specific statutory provision, with an effective date of July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 126 revises how state agencies create and amend administrative rules, aiming to enhance public involvement and legislative oversight. It requires agencies to accept public comments electronically and disseminate their email address for this purpose. The bill mandates that agencies contact the primary legislative sponsor of a bill before drafting rules to implement it, ensuring their input on the rulemaking process. Additionally, it allows agencies to send electronic notifications of proposed rules to interested persons and requires notices to include clear explanations and cost estimates for monetary changes. These provisions aim to make the rulemaking process more transparent and accessible.

Maddy summaryHB 28 clarifies operational rules for Montana's public charter schools, directly affecting new and existing charter schools and the Board of Public Education. It specifies that timeline requirements (like proposal deadlines) count as business days, exempts approved charters from standard school opening rules, and changes first-year funding: charter schools won't receive per-pupil "per-anb" funding, and basic funding will be based on planned enrollment with potential clawbacks if actual enrollment falls short. The bill also requires the Board to report charter school status to the Office of Public Instruction and county superintendents, and mandates annual performance reports comparing charter school outcomes to traditional public schools. These changes aim to streamline the charter school approval and funding process while ensuring accountability.

Maddy summaryHB 15 updates Montana's K-12 school funding formula to adjust for inflation by increasing specific dollar amounts annually. It directly affects all public school districts in Montana by raising base funding rates for high schools, elementary schools, and K-12 programs, including per-pupil payments for American Indian students and other targeted programs. Key provisions include annual increases for basic entitlements (e.g., $343,483 to $375,333 for high school districts by 2026) and adjustments to payments like the American Indian achievement gap ($235 to $256 per student). The bill amends existing law to ensure funding keeps pace with rising costs, effective starting with the 2024 fiscal year. The legislation was signed into law by the Governor on April 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 294 would have transferred administration of Montana's Adult Basic Education Fund from the Office of Public Instruction to the Department of Labor and Industry. This change would affect adult education programs in school districts, community colleges, tribal colleges, public libraries, and community organizations across Montana by shifting which state agency manages fund distribution. The bill amended existing law to specify the Department of Labor and Industry as the distributor of these funds, while adding a requirement to notify Montana's federally recognized tribal governments. The bill was withdrawn on February 25, 2025, and did not become law.