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HB 620 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Revise laws prohibiting contracts that restrict practice to include physicians of all specialties

House Bill 620 revises state law concerning contracts that restrict a healthcare provider's ability to practice after leaving an employer or partnership. It expands existing protections, previously applicable to specific behavioral health professionals, to now include licensed physicians of all specialties. The bill amends Section 28-2-724, MCA, ensuring that contracts cannot prevent these medical professionals from practicing, providing services, or establishing patient relationships in any geographic area after their professional relationship ends.
Issues: ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands protections for physicians to practice freely after employment changes, preventing restrictive contracts that could limit patient access to care and strengthen healthcare provider mobility.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands employment protections for physicians by prohibiting restrictive practice contracts, advancing workers' right to practice freely post-employment.95% confidence
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 20, 2025 Signed May 19, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB0620_X(1).pdf → HB0620_X(2).pdf · 2 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended to remove the phrase 'IMMEDIATE A' from the title, correcting a typo to read 'A DELAYED EFFECTIVE DATE'. The substantive policy regarding the prohibition of restrictive contracts for licensed physicians and other health care providers remains unchanged, with the only notable addition being the inclusion of addiction counselors in the list of covered professionals.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to include addiction counselors licensed under Title 37, chapter 35, in addition to the previously listed mental health and behavioral health professionals.
TECHNICAL

Corrected a typo in the bill title by removing the redundant word 'A' before 'DELAYED EFFECTIVE DATE'.

ELIGIBILITY

Added addiction counselors licensed under Title 37, chapter 35 to the list of health care providers subject to the new contract restrictions.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 11, 2025 · House Apr 17, 2025

How they voted

48–0
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 50
Apr 11, 2025
D Democratic18
17 Yea 1
94% Yea
R Republican32
31 Yea 1
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
45
Key actions
9
Committee
6
Amendments
1
May 13, 2025
Signed into law
(H) Signed by Governor
lower
May 6, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Signed by President
upper
May 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Signed by Speaker
lower
Apr 17, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (99-0-1)
house
Apr 12, 2025
Introduced
(S) Returned to House with Amendments
upper
Apr 11, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (48-0-2)
senate
Apr 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Business, Labor and Economic Affairs
upper
Apr 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Business, Labor and Economic Affairs
upper
Mar 14, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Business, Labor and Economic Affairs
upper
Feb 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Business and Labor
lower
Feb 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Business and Labor
lower
Feb 21, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Business and Labor
lower
Feb 20, 2025
Introduced
(H) Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Steve Gist
Steve Gist
RRepublican
MT
25