This bill requires Montana school districts to create a student protection policy mandating background checks for any individual who may have unsupervised contact with students, including employees, volunteers, and contractors. The key provision mandates that before allowing such contact, individuals must either complete a fingerprint-based national criminal history background check or provide sufficient information for one to be conducted, with results reviewed by district officials. The law also requires districts that fail to comply with their own student protection policies to submit a correction plan to the Superintendent of Public Instruction. These changes directly affect school districts, their governing boards, and all individuals who work with or volunteer in Montana schools.
This bill amends Montana laws to strengthen penalties for using vehicles or devices to harass, harm, or kill wild animals such as game animals, game birds, fur-bearing animals, and predatory animals. It prohibits activities like chasing, flushing, or tormenting these animals with motorized vehicles, aircraft, or snow machines, while allowing exceptions for landowners protecting property and individuals following lawful hunting or wildlife management practices. The legislation increases fines and potential prison time for violations, with harsher penalties for repeat offenses, and mandates the forfeiture of hunting, fishing, or trapping licenses for a set period depending on the severity and frequency of the violation.
This bill amends Montana's criminal procedure laws to require law enforcement officers to show a search warrant to a known lawful occupant of a property before conducting a search. It also mandates that officers provide a copy of the warrant and a receipt for seized property to the person from whom it was taken or leave these documents at the location. The amendment clarifies that failing to provide these documents does not make the seized property inadmissible in court. The changes apply immediately upon the bill's passage and approval.
This bill allocates $65 million from Montana's general fund to the Highway Patrol Officers' Retirement System pension fund for fiscal year 2025. The one-time supplemental contribution is intended to address the system's unfunded liability of approximately $65.4 million as of the end of fiscal year 2024. The funding directly benefits active and retired members of the Montana Highway Patrol by strengthening their retirement benefits. The appropriation takes effect on July 1, 2025.
This bill creates a new criminal offense called aggravated vehicular homicide while under the influence, which applies to anyone who negligently causes death while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The law establishes mandatory prison sentences of 3 to 30 years and fines between $10,000 and $50,000 for convictions, with no option for deferred sentencing. The bill also amends existing Montana statutes to update definitions related to facial recognition technology, digital driver's licenses, and law enforcement agencies, though these changes appear unrelated to the DUI provisions.
This bill requires individuals convicted of vehicular homicide while under the influence to pay monthly restitution for the support of minor children whose parent or guardian was killed in the incident. The court will determine payment amounts based on the child's needs, the surviving family's financial situation, and the defendant's ability to pay, with payments continuing until the child turns 18 or graduates high school. The law includes exceptions if the surviving family has already received compensation through a civil lawsuit and specifies that payments must begin within a year of the defendant's release from prison. Additionally, the bill amends related Montana statutes to clarify sentencing guidelines and remove the possibility of sentence deferral for this specific offense.
This bill creates two new criminal offenses in Montana: unlawful squatting and fraudulent sale or lease of property. The unlawful squatting offense applies to anyone who knowingly enters and stays on another person's property without permission, while the fraudulent sale offense targets those who advertise property they do not legally own or have authority to rent. Key provisions include mandatory restitution for squatting victims equal to fair market rent, a minimum six-month jail sentence for fraudulent property listings, and a process allowing property owners to request immediate law enforcement removal of unauthorized occupants. The bill also establishes a fee structure for law enforcement services during removals and creates a civil remedy for wrongful removals, while requiring property owners to indemnify law enforcement if they knowingly provide false information in removal requests.
This bill amends Montana laws on perjury and false swearing to clarify definitions, adjust penalties, and establish investigation requirements. It directly affects individuals who make false statements under oath in official proceedings, court cases, or notarized documents. The bill requires that credible allegations of perjury or false swearing be investigated by agencies outside the judiciary, mandates minimum prison sentences ranging from 6 months to 10 years for perjury convictions, and clarifies rules about inconsistent statements and materiality. Additionally, it maintains existing protections for defendants, such as allowing retractions before a falsification substantially affects a proceeding and limiting convictions when proof relies solely on one witness.
This bill amends the duties of Montana's Code Commissioner to require the official to recommend legislation that removes laws permanently enjoined by courts as facially unconstitutional. The change specifically directs the Code Commissioner to identify and suggest repealing statutes that are no longer in effect due to final court rulings declaring them unconstitutional. This provision adds a new category of laws to be addressed alongside existing duties like eliminating outdated or redundant statutes. The amendment would affect the legislative process by ensuring unconstitutional laws are formally recommended for removal from the Montana Code Annotated.
This bill establishes a statewide central registry in Montana to maintain records of individuals who have been found to have committed substantiated child abuse or neglect, directly affecting those individuals and organizations conducting background checks. The key mechanism requires that before anyone is added to the registry, they must receive written notice of the allegations and be granted a court hearing where a judge must confirm the findings by a preponderance of the evidence. The bill also defines specific categories for substantiated, unfounded, and unsubstantiated reports and outlines procedures for individuals to request removal of their names from the registry after appeals are exhausted.
