SB 180 revises Montana law for custody and adoption cases by expanding the factors courts must consider when determining a child's "best interests." It adds specific requirements to evaluate parents' failure to pay birth costs or child support, prohibits courts from basing decisions solely on a parent's military service, and mandates consideration of a child's cultural, religious, and heritage needs - including Indian heritage regardless of tribal enrollment or blood quantum. The bill also updates adoption proceedings to require courts to assess a child's heritage needs and the nature of relationships with prospective adoptive parents. These changes apply to both custody cases under Section 40-4-212 and adoption cases under Section 42-5-107.
SB 528 would allow landlords, property managers, merchants, vendors, creditors, and similar businesses to charge credit card transaction fees up to 3% of the transaction amount, but only if they clearly disclose the fee before the transaction completes. The bill directly affects these businesses and their customers by setting a legal cap on fees and requiring upfront transparency. Key provisions include a 3% maximum fee limit (unless otherwise agreed in a contract) and mandatory pre-transaction disclosure, while excluding debt collectors from these rules. The bill aims to standardize fee practices without creating new obligations beyond the specified cap and disclosure requirement.
SB 343 would change how Montana allocates remaining coal severance tax revenue after other specified uses. Currently, until 2027, interest income from the coal trust fund is sent to the general fund for specific programs like agriculture development, small business centers, and library services. This bill amends the law to redirect all remaining coal tax revenue (after other allocations) directly to the coal severance tax permanent fund starting July 1, 2027, instead of the general fund. The policy change would shift funding away from current general fund programs toward the coal trust fund, which supports coal-dependent communities and projects.
SB 327 does not change motor vehicle registration fees themselves but revises the formula for distributing revenue from vehicle-related fees to local governments. It amends Montana law (sections 15-1-121, 15-1-122, 61-3-321, and 61-3-562) to adjust how entitlement share payments are calculated for counties, cities, and towns. The bill updates the growth rate calculation for these payments, basing it on specific state revenue sources like vehicle fees (from section 61-3-321) and income taxes, rather than using the previous method. This directly affects all local governments receiving these annual revenue distributions. The bill was referred to the Taxation committee and died in committee in May 2025.
SB 438 establishes a registration system for out-of-state health care providers offering telehealth services to Montana patients. It requires these providers to register with Montana’s Department of Labor and Industry if they hold an active license in another state, have no recent disciplinary actions, and meet scope-of-practice standards. The bill mandates providers to notify Montana authorities within 5 business days of any disciplinary action against their license in another state and allows Montana to impose disciplinary actions like registration suspension for noncompliance. It also defines key terms like "asynchronous" and "synchronous" telehealth and designates patient location as the venue for legal actions. The bill directly affects out-of-state telehealth providers, not patients, by creating new administrative and compliance requirements.
SB 448, a health insurance payment reform bill, requires Montana health carriers (insurance companies) to pay "clean claims" from healthcare providers within 14 days for electronic submissions or 30 days for paper submissions. It defines a "clean claim" as one with all required documentation and no errors, and mandates that carriers notify providers of missing information within 10 days if a claim is incomplete. The bill also establishes penalties for late payments due to carrier errors and allows providers to pursue legal action if payments are delayed unlawfully. This directly affects healthcare providers (hospitals, doctors, labs), health carriers, and enrollees by streamlining payment processes and reducing billing delays.
SB 546 would have created an income-based tax credit for Montana taxpayers with low-to-moderate income, reducing their state tax liability. The credit would have been calculated as 4.7% of taxable income up to specific thresholds ($2,000 for joint filers, $1,500 for heads of household, and $1,000 for other filers), phasing out by 0.094% for each additional $1,000-$2,000 of income depending on filing status. It would not have applied to income above phaseout limits, and the credit could not exceed the taxpayer’s total tax liability. The bill died in committee on May 23, 2025, and was never enacted.
SB 345 would change how medical evidence is evaluated in Montana workers' compensation cases. It removes automatic preference for treating physicians' opinions, requiring courts to weigh medical testimony based on the provider's qualifications, experience with the specific worker, and credibility. The bill also limits discovery about independent medical examiners (IMEs) to their training, exam volume, and payments from insurers, aiming to reduce bias concerns. These changes directly affect workers seeking compensation, insurers requesting medical evaluations, and medical providers involved in these cases. The bill was introduced in 2025 but died in committee before becoming law.
SB 405 proposed transferring $50 million from Montana's general fund to the Housing Montana Fund within 15 days of enactment, directly supporting state housing programs and affordable housing initiatives. It required the Department of Commerce to update administrative rules related to housing by the start of the 70th legislative session. The bill would have taken effect July 1, 2025, but died in committee on May 23, 2025, after being tabled in April 2025. This was a substantive funding bill, not a procedural measure, with no further legislative action taken.
SB 125 updates Montana's rules for community homes supporting people with developmental disabilities. It requires homes to create written health and safety policies, mandates a 28-day public comment period on license applications for neighbors within half a mile, and establishes a formal complaint process with the Department of Public Health and Human Services. The department must investigate complaints about policy violations or unsafe conditions, attempt mediation, and issue findings within 180 days. These changes directly affect community homes, the licensing department, and nearby residents who can provide input on new facilities.
SB 99 amends Montana tax law to treat certain rental and accommodations income earned by tax-exempt organizations as "unrelated business income" subject to taxation. This affects nonprofits and other exempt groups that previously did not pay tax on such income, including short-term rentals or property leasing activities. The bill creates new reporting requirements for these organizations and specifies how to calculate the tax based on Montana’s existing tax rates and sourcing rules. It modifies existing statutes to clarify that this income must now be included in taxable income calculations, rather than remaining exempt. The change applies to income generated from business activities unrelated to the organization’s exempt purpose.
SB 112 would prohibit Montana state funds (including federal funds) from purchasing opioid reversal drugs after June 30, 2025, from companies involved in opioid settlement agreements. It allows existing contracts for these drugs to continue until fulfillment but bans renewal after the deadline, and requires continued supply under settlement agreements signed before September 1, 2024. The bill directly affects state agencies purchasing opioid reversal medications and pharmaceutical companies that settled opioid-related lawsuits. The bill died in committee in May 2025 and did not become law.
