HB 745 revises school laws to enhance student safety by requiring new policies and background checks. It mandates that school districts adopt a student protection policy, which includes conducting fingerprint-based national criminal history background checks. These checks are required for any individual, regardless of employment status, who may have unsupervised contact with students. The bill also requires background checks for educator licensure, and non-compliant districts must submit a correction plan to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
SB 45 establishes the Montana Judicial Performance Evaluation System to provide citizens with information about the performance of district court judges and Supreme Court justices. The bill creates an 11-member Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, administratively attached to the Department of Justice, to oversee this system. The Commission is responsible for conducting evaluations of judges and justices and contracting for a survey to gather data. This evaluation information will be published by the Secretary of State in the voter information pamphlet, making it accessible to the public.
HB 680 revises laws concerning the Montana Heritage Preservation and Development Commission's contracting powers. The bill allows the commission to enter into commercial leases for up to 99 years with private organizations that invest substantial capital in properties managed by the commission. This extends the previous 20-year contract term limit for private organizations, aiming to facilitate long-term investment in these heritage properties. The act became effective immediately upon passage and approval.
HB 891 grants the Office of Inspector General (OIG) within the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) new authority. This bill allows the OIG to issue subpoenas to compel the production of financial records, documents, and data. These subpoenas are specifically for investigations into waste, fraud, or abuse within health care services and public assistance programs administered by the DPHHS. The measure specifies that both the DPHHS director and the inspector general must sign these subpoenas. It also appropriates $5,000 to the DPHHS for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, to implement these provisions.
HB 769 revises the calculation of meal allowances for certain employees, specifically those who work night-shift hours. The bill amends existing state law to establish new timeframes for evening, midnight, and early morning meal allowances for night-shift employees. These allowances are applicable when an employee is traveling for more than three continuous hours during the specified night-shift periods. The bill also maintains existing provisions for non-night-shift employees and general eligibility rules based on an employee's travel shift.
HB 872 revises real estate appraiser licensing laws to clarify who can provide opinions or estimates of market value for real property transactions. It specifies that individuals who are not licensed or certified appraisers may provide such valuations for compensation, as long as the transaction is not federally related and they do not claim to be licensed. The bill maintains that misrepresenting oneself as a licensed or certified appraiser without the proper credentials is a misdemeanor. It also appropriates $1,000 to the Department of Labor and Industry for implementation, with an effective date of July 1, 2025.
HB 846 revises property taxation for school districts by establishing a system of "reconciliation payments" between them. These payments apply when a student, defined as an "isolated pupil," resides in one school district but attends school in a contiguous district because geographic conditions prevent access to the resident district's services. A school district educating an isolated pupil can petition the county superintendent for a payment from the pupil's resident district, provided specific financial and geographic criteria are met. If approved, the resident school district is required to levy a property tax to make this reconciliation payment, reimbursing the attending district for the isolated pupil's education.
SB 116 revises the Montana Heritage Preservation and Development Commission by reducing its membership from 14 to 9 individuals. The bill modifies the number of members appointed by the Governor, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House, and updates the specific qualifications required for these appointed positions. Additionally, it changes the administrative relationship with the Department of Commerce, transitioning the responsibility for providing staff and services to the commission from the commission itself to the department. These changes will take effect as current member terms expire, with an effective date of July 1, 2025.
SB 560 requires nonprofit hospitals to report their annual charity care and community benefit spending to the state. The bill mandates that a nonprofit hospital's total community benefit must exceed the amount of property taxes it would have paid if it were not tax-exempt. If a hospital's reported community benefit does not meet this threshold, a fee equal to the difference will be assessed. These collected fees are then deposited into a new Critical Access Health Care Special Revenue Account, which provides funding to critical access hospitals not affiliated with other hospitals.
HB 231 revises property tax laws by establishing reduced tax rates for certain class four residential and commercial properties. It provides a lower tax rate for qualifying owner-occupied principal residences and long-term rental properties, as well as for a portion of commercial property value. For principal residences, some owners will automatically qualify for the reduced rate for tax years 2025 and 2026 based on prior tax rebates or assistance programs. Beginning in tax year 2027, all owners seeking these reduced rates must apply to the department and meet specific eligibility criteria, such as demonstrating occupancy for a principal residence or rental periods for long-term rentals.
SB 542 generally revises property tax laws, affecting various property owners. The bill freezes property values for tax years 2025 and 2026 at their 2024 levels, unless a decrease is determined by the Department of Revenue. It provides a property tax rebate of up to $400 for principal residences based on 2024 property taxes paid, which taxpayers must claim between August 15 and October 1, 2025. Additionally, the legislation reduces tax rates for Class Three agricultural property and revises rates for Class Four residential and commercial properties, including lower rates for owner-occupied homes, long-term rentals, and a portion of commercial property value.
HB 239 establishes a new licensing program for construction contractors, transferring their oversight to the Department of Labor and Industry. Under this law, all construction contractors are required to obtain a license, which involves paying a fee and providing specific business information. The bill defines what constitutes "unprofessional conduct" for licensees and outlines penalties for violations. It also clarifies that individuals who hire licensed contractors are not liable for workers' compensation or unemployment insurance for those contractors or their employees. This legislation aims to regulate the construction industry to protect public health, safety, and welfare.
