Legislative Week in Review

Bill No.

Short Title

Description

Status at Transmittal

HB 2

General appropriations act

Appropriates state agency funding for the 2027 Biennium.

(H) Appropriations;
Hearings 3/19-3/21

HB 5

Long-range building appropriations

Appropriates funding and grants authority for capital projects and maintenance.

(H) Appropriations;
Hearing 3/17

HB 7

Reclamation and development grants

An appropriations is included for Montana Technological University Phytomining Remediation and Minerals Recovery Demonstration.

(S) Referred to Finance & Claims; Hearing not yet scheduled

HB 10

Long-range information technology

Appropriates funding for state IT projects

(H) Appropriations;
Passed as amended, 21-2

HB 13

State employee pay plan

Implements negotiated pay plan for state employees.

(S) Finance and Claims;
Concurred as amended,  14-8

HB 47

Revise state building energy conservation program

Removes the DEQ’s authority to issue bonds in alignment with Legislative and Executive direction to reduce bond liability exposure.  

A partner bill, HB 217, transfers the SBECP (State Building Energy Conservation Program) from DEQ to State AE (DOA). Streamlines program’s administration as State AE is responsible for planning, design, construction of state facilities.

(S) State Administration; Hearing held 2/4; No action taken

HB 113

Revise resident preferences for public contracts and contract term limits

Requires Department of Administration to determine the residency of contractors who bid on public contracts for construction, repair, and public works or public contracts for the purchase of goods.

(H) State Administration; Tabled; Failed to meet Transmittal deadline

HB 121

Provide privacy in certain restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping quarters

Requires "covered entities" to "designate each multi-occupancy restroom, changing room, or sleeping quarters for the exclusive use of females or males." In the bill, a covered entity is considered to be a correctional center, a juvenile detention facility, a local domestic violence program, a public building, or a public school. The bill provides that a person may bring a private cause of action against a covered entity that has not complied with the requirements if the person encounters another individual of the opposite sex in the restroom or changing room.

(H) Returned from Enrolling

HB 153

Revise laws related to school funding interim commission

The commission conducting the decennial study will include representation from the Board of Regents and create as part of the study an "innovation and excellence in education working group to develop recommendations, objectives, and an implementation plan ... to improve the basic system of free, quality, public elementary and secondary schools.”

(S) Referred to Senate Education and Cultural Resources; Hearing not yet scheduled

HB 163

Provide health care preceptor individual income tax credit

Allows for an income tax credit for a taxpayer who serves as a preceptor of a student enrolled in an eligible health care training program with an income tax credit.

(H) Taxation; Tabled

HB 252

Create the student and teacher advancement for results and success act (STARS)

Revises K-12 school funding laws.

(S) Referred to Senate Education and Cultural Resources; Hearing not yet scheduled

HB 284

Establish an interim committee to investigate civil rights violations and censorship within the MUS

Creates an interim committee to “investigate civil rights violations and acts of censorship committed by the Montana University System.” The committee would “gather testimony on the record from Montana students on any civil rights violations or acts of censorship that the students have experienced or witnessed at Montana public universities and colleges and make findings and recommendations for state and federal officials.”

(S) Referred to Senate Judiciary; Hearing not yet scheduled

HB 300

Generally revise laws related to discrimination in education

Makes it an unlawful discriminatory practice "for an educational institution to allow a male person to participate in athletic programs designated for female persons” and for an educational institution to “fail to provide a person with access to a restroom, locker room, shower area, or sleeping quarter that is inaccessible by a person of the opposite sex while in use.”

(S) Judiciary; Bill Concurred; 2^nd Reading not yet scheduled

HB 336

Provide for apprenticeship programs for certain license types

Requires certain professional boards to grant a license to a person who completes a nationally recognized apprenticeship.

(S) Referred to Senate Business and Labor; Hearing not yet scheduled

HB 400

Enact the "Free to Speak Act"

Applies to all public school students and staff, including those at postsecondary institutions. Provides that a student or employee may not be disciplined and the state may not take an adverse action against a student or employee for declining to:

• identify a person's pronouns; or
• address a person by using a name other than the person's legal name or a derivative of the person's legal name or by using a pronoun or a title that is inconsistent with the person's sex. 

(S) Referred to Senate Judiciary; Hearing not yet scheduled

HB 499

Extend the grow your own grant program

Extends the Grow Your Own grant program administered by OCHE another two years, moving the program’s termination date from 2027 to 2029, as well as provides that postsecondary institutions are eligible for grants. A $500,000 appropriation from the general fund to OCHE is attached to this proposal, with the intention that the amount be considered part of the ongoing OCHE base budget.

(H) First Reading; Not yet assigned to committee

HB 553

Generally revise military higher education act

Requires faculty of an institution of higher education under the jurisdiction of the BOR to give a student who is a member of a reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces or the Montana National Guard at least 15 business days to make up a missed assignment, exam, midterm, or final if the student misses the work because of inactive duty training or annual training.

Requires the student to provide notice to the faculty prior to the absence.

(H) 3^rd Reading Passed; Transmitted to Senate

HB 618

Provide for a Montana individual freedom act

Proposes new law to prohibit “state and local government agencies … from expending funds for memberships, goods, or services from organizations that discriminate and from expending funds on diversity, equity, and inclusion or on political or social activism.” The attorney general is tasked with review and approval of certain programs and activities.

(H) State Administration; Tabled; Failed to meet Transmittal deadline

HB 631

Revise student online protection laws related to postsecondary opportunities

Provides that the term “K-12 school purposes” in the Montana Pupil Online Personal Information Protection Act does not include courses that are provided for the purpose of postsecondary credit or work-based learning courses provided by a work-based learning partner.

(H) 3^rd Reading Passed; Transmitted to Senate

HB 635

Revise human rights laws to prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion programs

Prohibits a state or local government agency from spending public funds on a DEI program or employing an individual whose duties include creating or operating a DEI program.

Defines DEI, divisive concepts, race or sex scapegoating, and race or sex stereotyping and provides investigative authority to the attorney general. The bill includes a right of private action and penalties.

(H) 3^rd Reading Failed; Failed to meet Transmittal deadline

HB 663

Revise education laws related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Prohibits consideration of race, color, ethnicity, or national origin by institutions of higher education in hiring, admissions, participation, benefits, scholarships, and financial aid. It creates a private cause of action and compensatory damages, punitive damages, statutory damages, and injunctive and declaratory relief.

An adopted amendment strikes language that would have prohibited an institution from revealing to admissions or financial aid officers data concerning the race, color, national origin, or ethnicity of any applicant or student before admissions and financial aid, scholarship, and funding decisions are made.

(H) 3^rd Reading Passed; Transmitted to Senate

HB 718

Generally revise laws relating to incarceration

Establishes Office of Re-entry Services in Department of Labor to create a collaborative effort among state agencies to coordinate supportive services for individuals exiting or preparing to exit incarceration and reenter communities in Montana, including skilled-trade and apprenticeship programs; job placement; workforce and supportive services, including career education; the availability of and access to online certificate training programs; and the availability of and access to general or secondary education programs.

(H) 3^rd Reading Passed; Transmitted to Senate

HB 771

Revise university system laws to remove barriers to freshmen living off campus

Prohibits university or college facility from requiring a student to live in an on-campus housing facility as a condition of enrollment or attendance at any unit of the MUS if the student lives with an immediate family member at the family member's principal residence.

(H) Education; Tabled; Failed to meet Transmittal deadline

HB 823

Revise laws relating to the state plan committee

Requires the Commissioner of Higher Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to update the state plan for career and technical education as required by the Perkins grant.

(H) 3^rd Reading Passed; Transmitted to Senate

SB 33

State buildings subject to building code review

Transfers authority and responsibility for plan review, permitting, inspection, and building code enforcement for public buildings owned or operated by state agencies to the Department of Labor and Industry

(H) House State Administration hearing held; No action yet taken

SB 44

Generally revise laws regarding separation of powers doctrine

Revises and codifies laws regarding the separation of powers doctrine and define in the Montana Code Annotated the powers of the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, the Judicial Branch, the Board of Regents, and the Board of Public Education.

(S) 3^rd Reading Failed; Indefinitely Postponed; Failed to meet Transmittal deadline

SB 210

Revise board of regents laws to remove statutory requirement for student regent

Strikes language requiring a student regent on the Board of Regents.

(S) Senate Cultural Resource Committee; Tabled; Failed to meet Transmittal deadline

SB 216

Creating the Montana physicians’ workforce investment act

Creates a grant program in Department of Labor and Industry to support graduate medical education in Montana.

(S) Finance & Claims; Tabled

SB 271

Remove prohibition on certain compensation for collegiate student-athlete's name/image/likeness

Removes the prohibition on a postsecondary institution or athletic association, conference, or organization with authority over intercollegiate sports from providing a prospective or current student athlete compensation for use of the athlete's name, image, or likeness.

(H) First Reading; Not yet assigned to House committee

SB 320

Create Montana-Ireland trade commission

Includes the Commissioner of Higher Education or a designee on the trade commission.

(S) Sent to Enrolling

SB 331

Require state buildings to have automatic fire sprinklers or suppression systems

Requires all state buildings have automatic fire sprinkler or fire suppression systems installed.

(S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety; Tabled

SB 474

Require acceptance of religious and personal medical exemptions to required immunizations

Provides that a person enrolled or seeking to enroll in school may attend the school without obtaining required immunizations if the person files with the governing authority a signed statement, letter, or notarized affidavit on a form stating that immunization is contrary to religious tenets and practices of the signer.

(S) Transmitted to House; Not yet assigned to committee

SB 476

Defining separation of powers

Defines powers of the Executive Branch, the Judicial Branch, and the Legislative Branch as those enumerated by the Constitution and granted by law. Specifies that Executive Branch power includes authority of the Board of Regents and the Board of Public Education to perform duties provided by law.

(S) 3^rd Reading Failed; Indefinitely Postponed; Failed to meet Transmittal deadline

SB 478

Require higher education institutions to pay medical costs associated with mandated COVID–19 vaccinations

Requires institutions of higher education to pay medical costs related to required Covid-19 vaccinations.

(S) Education and Cultural Resources; Tabled; Failed to meet Transmittal deadline

SB 482

Revise contract laws relating to student athletes

Requires a written contract relating to student athletes’ NIL.

(S) Transmitted to House; Not yet assigned to committee

SJ 7

Joint resolution to support shooting competition as a collegiate sport

Resolves that the Montana Legislature encourages the units of the Montana University System to utilize university resources and to partner with nonuniversity personnel and entities to facilitate shooting sports competitions as collegiate sports and to develop endowments and offer scholarships for enrolled students competing in shooting sports.

(S) Filed with Secretary of State; Returned from Enrolling