SB 234 would have required massage therapy applicants in Montana to submit fingerprints for state and federal criminal background checks as part of licensure. It mandated applicants pay associated fees and amended existing licensure rules to include fingerprint submission (Section 37-33-502, MCA). The bill applied to all new applications submitted on or after July 1, 2025, and would have required renewal applicants to undergo similar checks. However, the bill "died in process" on May 23, 2025, and did not become law.
SB 216 creates Montana's Physicians' Workforce Investment Act, establishing a task force to administer grants for health sector facilities (like hospitals) to launch or expand residency and fellowship programs. The grant program provides up to $2 million per facility to support new graduate medical education programs, requiring applicants to submit accreditation plans, 2-year financial projections, and 5-year sustainability strategies. This directly affects Montana hospitals seeking to train medical graduates (those with medical degrees but without residency completion) and aims to address physician shortages by increasing training opportunities. The task force must report annually on grant usage, program locations, specialty fields, and accreditation status to the legislature.
SB 519 would require Montana's Department of Revenue property valuation staff to obtain written permission from landowners before entering private property to appraise or audit property for tax purposes. Landowners would need to provide written permission (via mail) by December 31 each year to allow appraisers access, or the department would estimate property value without entry. The bill also requires annual notices to landowners about their right to be present during appraisals and limits entry to established roads unless landowners grant additional access. This bill died in committee on May 23, 2025, and did not become law.
SB 150 creates a new "cigar bar room" license endorsement for existing alcohol licensees that also hold gambling licenses (e.g., casinos or gaming venues). It allows premium cigar smoking only in a designated, enclosed area with strict requirements: cigars must meet specific handmade criteria (no filters, 100% tobacco), the venue must generate at least 10% of annual revenue from cigar sales, and no other tobacco/vaping products may be smoked or sold there. The designated area must have proper ventilation, be separate from nonsmoking zones, and exclude minors under 21. The bill also exempts these cigar rooms from standard clean indoor air laws and requires a 2026 study on Montana’s gaming industry.
SB 293 allows individuals (claimants) who have suffered personal injury or wrongful death to request a statement from an insurer about the liability insurance limits of the potentially responsible party *before* filing a lawsuit. Insurers must respond within 45 days, and failure to comply could result in court-imposed sanctions. The requested insurance information cannot be used as evidence in trial, and the request must be made in good faith to avoid misuse. This bill aims to provide transparency about available insurance coverage early in legal proceedings, directly affecting claimants, insurers, and defendants in personal injury cases.
SB 314 prevents Montana political parties from appointing replacement candidates if the original candidate is found ineligible after the primary filing deadline. It specifically prohibits replacements when disqualification stems from constitutional requirements (like residency rules under Article IV, Section 8 of the Montana Constitution), unless a party candidate was already nominated at the primary. This change applies only when the ballot certification deadline has passed and no party candidate was nominated at the primary election. The bill directly affects political parties' ability to fill vacancies in partisan races under these specific circumstances.
SB 463 revises Montana's laws on reporting child abuse and neglect. It revises the definition and certification requirements for Public Safety Communications Officers (PSOs), allowing them to receive such reports directly. The bill also updates intake procedures for these reports to streamline the process. This change affects how reports are handled, designating PSOs as a designated point of contact for child abuse and neglect reports under revised law.
SB 425 prohibits Montana's Department of Corrections from sending inmates to out-of-state facilities if they have a child under 13 living in Montana, unless parental rights have been terminated or the incarceration is for a sexual offense. This directly affects incarcerated individuals with young children residing in Montana who might otherwise be transferred out of state. The bill amends existing law to add this restriction as a new condition for out-of-state confinement contracts. It does not change current practices for inmates with no minor children in Montana or those with terminated parental rights. The bill died in committee in May 2025 and did not become law.
SB 291 amends Montana's workers' compensation law to require the Department of Labor and Industry to annually update its rules defining the value of lodging provided to employees as part of their compensation. The bill specifically changes Section 39-71-123 to mandate that lodging values must be adjusted yearly based on geographic housing costs and other reasonable factors. This affects workers in occupations where housing is part of their wages, such as agricultural or hospitality roles, ensuring the value used for calculating workers' compensation benefits reflects current local housing markets. The change focuses on the administrative process for valuing lodging, not on altering who qualifies for workers' compensation coverage.
SB 501, the "Keep Montanans Housed Act," would require Montana landlords to offer tenants the first opportunity to purchase their rental property before selling to a third party. Landlords must provide tenants with a written offer at a price comparable to market value or appraised value within 45 days, allowing tenants to challenge the offer using their own appraiser at their expense. The bill would directly affect tenants in qualifying rental units and landlords seeking to sell or vacate properties for demolition, repurposing, or sale. However, the bill died in committee on May 23, 2025, and never became law, so these provisions remain inactive.
This study resolution (SJ 44) requests the Montana Legislature to examine existing affordable housing programs, including HB 819 (2023) and the Coal Trust Multifamily Homes loan program, to evaluate their costs, benefits, and effectiveness in reducing housing costs. It directs a study committee to compare local, state, and federal housing initiatives, analyze housing choice vouchers versus construction subsidies, and identify successful programs. The study was approved by the Senate in April 2025 but died in the House committee process on May 23, 2025, meaning no formal study was conducted. It does not create new laws but aims to inform future policy decisions about housing affordability.
SB 197 would have reverted Montana's surety bail bond insurance licensing and operational rules to their pre-2023 requirements. It specifically amended sections of the law to remove recent changes, requiring insurance producers selling surety bail bonds to meet prior examination and licensing standards (Section 33-17-212), updating rules for surety insurers regarding collateral and reporting (Section 33-26-108), and clarifying bail surrender procedures (Sections 46-9-401 and 46-9-510). The bill directly affected insurance producers, courts, law enforcement, and defendants using bail bonds. However, it died in the legislative process in May 2025 and never became law.
