Legislative Week in Review
March 3-7, 2025
Halfway.
As Week 9 screeches to a halt, both chambers of the 69th Legislature have adjourned for Transmittal Break. The latest status of bills that OCHE has been following is compiled below.
Bills that have failed to meet today's deadline or are otherwise unlikely to proceed are shaded.
Status at Transmittal
Bill No. |
Short Title |
Description |
Status at Transmittal |
HB 2 |
General appropriations act |
Appropriates state agency funding for the 2027 Biennium. |
(H) Appropriations;
|
HB 5 |
Long-range building appropriations |
Appropriates funding and grants authority for capital projects and maintenance.
|
(H) Appropriations; |
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;
|
HB 13 |
State employee pay plan |
Implements negotiated pay plan for state employees. |
(S) Finance and Claims;
|
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; 2nd 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:
|
(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) 3rd 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) 3rd 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. |
(H) 3rd 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. |
(H) 3rd 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) 3rd 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) 3rd 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) 3rd 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) 3rd 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 |
Important Dates
March 7:Transmittal of General Bills to another chamber;
March 7: Last day to request Appropriations Bills;
March 8-13:Transmittal Break;
March 14: Senate returns;
March 17: House returns;
March 19-21: House Appropriations hearings on HB 2;
March 20: Last day to introduce Appropriations Bills, Revenue Bills, and bills proposing Referenda.
Time Served
Legislative Day: 48
Percent complete: 53.33%