HB 245: Revise the Montana HELP Act workforce development provisions and termination date - Montana

HB0245_1(41).pdf → HB0245_2(1).pdf · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the Montana HELP Act to modernize workforce development services, specifically adding cybersecurity training and clarifying support for healthcare workers. It also repeals several outdated legal sections and sets a specific termination date for the act's temporary provisions. These changes aim to better align state workforce programs with current economic needs and streamline administrative processes.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of allowable workforce development services to explicitly include short-term certification programs for entry-level cybersecurity analysts and clarifies the department's reporting requirements to the legislature.

REQUIREMENT

Added specific requirements for workforce development services to include training in high-demand occupations, particularly entry-level cybersecurity analysts.

Updated reporting requirements for entities providing workforce development services to include more detailed metrics on client outcomes and outreach efforts.

TIMELINE

Set a specific termination date of June 30, 2025, for the temporary workforce development provisions.

TECHNICAL

Removed the general requirement for the department to contract for training and education programs, replacing it with more specific guidance on allowable activities.

Repealed multiple sections of previous laws (from 2015, 2019, and 2021) that are no longer needed or have been superseded.

HB0245_2.pdf → HB0245_1(41).pdf · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill text was reformatted from a multi-page PDF layout into a single, continuous document with corrected line numbers and spacing. The substantive legal content, including the bill title, sponsor list, specific statutory amendments, and effective dates, remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

The document structure was consolidated to remove page breaks and formatting artifacts, resulting in a cleaner, single-page text representation of the bill.

HB0245_1(40).pdf → HB0245_2.pdf · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends the Montana HELP Act to streamline workforce development services for individuals receiving health care assistance. It clarifies that the program must focus on high-demand occupations like cybersecurity and healthcare, removes the mandatory requirement to contract with private entities for all services, and establishes new quarterly reporting standards for program outcomes. The changes aim to increase flexibility for service delivery while ensuring accountability through detailed performance metrics.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of allowable activities to explicitly include supportive services like transportation and clothing, and clarifies that the department is not required to contract with private entities to provide these services.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the mandatory requirement to contract with private nonprofit or for-profit entities for workforce development services, giving the department more flexibility in how it delivers assistance.

Added specific emphasis on training for high-demand occupations, particularly in healthcare and entry-level cybersecurity, and included short-term certification programs.

Established new quarterly reporting requirements for contractors, mandating detailed data on client enrollment, services provided, credential attainment, employment outcomes, and spending.

DEFINITION

Broadened the definition of allowable workforce development services to explicitly include supportive services such as clothing, transportation, and equipment needed to obtain or maintain employment.

TIMELINE

Set a specific termination date of June 30, 2025, for the temporary workforce development provisions.

HB0245_1(21).pdf → HB0245_1(22).pdf · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reorganized to prioritize workforce development services, specifically adding a requirement for assessments that help participants increase their earning capacity and economic stability. The text was reordered to list allowable services (education, training, and supportive items like clothing and transportation) before the reporting requirements for contractors. A new section was added to repeal previous laws related to unemployment fraud prevention, and the effective date for the main provisions was set to October 1, 2025.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly emphasizes training in high-demand occupations and cybersecurity, and it clarifies that participants no longer receiving services do not qualify for certain exemptions.

REQUIREMENT

Added a specific mandate for assessments to identify barriers to employment and increase participant earning capacity and economic stability.

Defined allowable workforce development services to include education, training, and supportive services such as clothing, transportation, and equipment.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date for the primary section of the bill to October 1, 2025, while the act itself becomes effective upon passage.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a new section to repeal previous statutes regarding unemployment insurance fraud prevention and identity verification.

SCOPE

Reordered the bill structure to list service definitions before reporting requirements, and added specific mentions of cybersecurity training.

HB0245_1(17).pdf → HB0245_1(18).pdf · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill sponsors were updated to include new legislators. The core text of the bill remains substantively unchanged, retaining the same workforce development requirements, reporting obligations, and termination dates as the previous version.

TECHNICAL

The list of legislators who introduced the bill was updated to include E. Buttre and E. Darling, while removing G. Parry and G. Oblander from the sponsor list.

HB0245_1(15).pdf → HB0245_1(16).pdf · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add a new sponsor, L. Darling, and update the official title to include the termination of the Healthy Montana Health and Economic Livelihood Partnership Act. The core policy text regarding workforce development services for health care recipients remains substantively unchanged, though the formatting of the bill text was adjusted to correct a typo and improve readability.

Scope change

The bill's scope was slightly expanded by adding a new sponsor, but the substantive scope of the workforce development program and the termination of the HELP Act remains the same.

TECHNICAL

Added L. Darling as a new sponsor to the list of bill authors.

Updated the bill title to explicitly include the termination of the Healthy Montana Health and Economic Livelihood Partnership Act.

Corrected a grammatical error in the bill text where the word 'participating' was duplicated.

Reformatted the bill text layout, removing unnecessary blank lines and adjusting indentation.

HB0245_1(12).pdf → HB0245_1(13).pdf · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the Montana HELP Act workforce development program by adding cybersecurity training as a priority alongside healthcare, clarifying that participants must complete an employment assessment before receiving services, and adjusting the effective date of the main provisions to October 1, 2025. The changes aim to better align the program with current economic needs and streamline how services are delivered to individuals receiving health care assistance.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of allowable training to include entry-level cybersecurity analysts and modifies the sequence of services, requiring an employment assessment to occur before workforce development services are provided.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement that the department must assist participants with an employment or reemployment assessment before providing workforce development services, replacing a previous clause that allowed contact with participants.

SCOPE

Updated the list of high-demand occupations to explicitly include short-term certification programs for entry-level cybersecurity analysts alongside healthcare training.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the primary workforce development provisions from the date of passage to October 1, 2025.

TECHNICAL

Corrected a grammatical error in the text where 'taking part participating' was changed to 'taking part'.

LC0953.pdf → HB0245_1.pdf · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was renumbered from LC 0953 to HB 245, indicating a shift from a committee draft to a formally introduced House bill. The title was updated to include the primary sponsors (Buttre, Albus, Schomer, and Bedey), and the effective date provision was slightly rephrased to read 'AND PROVIDING EFFECTIVE DATES' instead of just 'PROVIDING EFFECTIVE DATES.' These changes are primarily administrative and procedural, establishing the bill's official identity and sponsorship rather than altering its substantive policy content.

TECHNICAL

Bill number changed from LC 0953 to HB 245, reflecting its progression from a legislative committee draft to an official House bill.

Names of four primary sponsors (E. Buttre, E. Albus, C. Schomer, and D. Bedey) were added to the bill header.

The summary of the bill's purpose was slightly edited to add the word 'AND' before 'PROVIDING EFFECTIVE DATES' for grammatical consistency.

Revise the Montana HELP Act workforce development provisions and termination date

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