Education

vetoed · Montana · House Jul 23, 2025

HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws

HB 628 updates Montana's early literacy program to include broader academic skills ("scholastic literacy") and adjusts enrollment rules for school districts. It allows districts to enroll up to one student already meeting grade-level reading/math expectations ("on-target") for every three students needing intervention in classroom or Jumpstart programs. The bill directly affects kindergarten through 3rd-grade students in Montana public schools identified as below reading/math proficiency, with school districts using state-approved assessments to determine eligibility. Key changes include expanding the program's scope beyond basic reading and modifying enrollment ratios to better align student needs with available support.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationUpdates early literacy program to include broader academic skills and adjusts enrollment rules to better serve students needing intervention, strengthening K-3 literacy support.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

Track

signed · Montana · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 5: Long-range building appropriations

HB 5 appropriates over $30 million for major repair and capital development projects across Montana state facilities, including universities, health departments, and government buildings, for the 2023-2025 biennium. It funds specific upgrades like roof replacements, heating system repairs, fire safety improvements, and electrical system modernizations at locations such as Montana State University campuses, the Department of Health facilities, and state prisons. The bill increases the value threshold for certain projects from $150,000 to $300,000 and authorizes transfers between state fund accounts to support these repairs. It directly affects state agencies managing public infrastructure by providing dedicated funding for essential maintenance and safety upgrades. The bill was enacted on June 19, 2025, after passing both legislative chambers.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds university infrastructure repairs (Montana State University campuses), directly supporting higher education facilities per bill summary.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 565: Creating the Montana endowment for early childhood and related structure

SB 565 creates a permanent Montana Endowment for Early Childhood, funded by quarterly state transfers and fees from renewed childcare facility licenses. It establishes a 7-member board (including state agency staff and community representatives) to manage the endowment and allocate funds from the Montana Early Childhood Account. The bill directs funds toward grants for childcare workforce development, quality improvements (like safety upgrades), affordability programs (including subsidies), and emergency assistance for childcare providers. These funds directly support early childhood programs, providers, and families accessing childcare services across Montana.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates permanent endowment funding childcare workforce development, quality improvements, and affordability subsidies, directly expanding early childhood educational access and support.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds childcare workforce development and safety upgrades, directly advancing worker conditions in early childhood sector per bill's allocation priorities.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

Track

died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 262: Establish state policy on evidence-based reading instruction

HB 262 sought to establish a state policy requiring early literacy instruction in public schools to be evidence-based and scientifically researched. The bill would have prohibited certain teaching methods, such as those relying on meaning drawn from context, visual cues, or memory, specifically disallowing the three-cueing system. Instead, it mandated that instruction include specific components like phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. This policy was intended to apply to public schools across the state, with an effective date of July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates evidence-based reading curriculum, banning non-scientific methods like three-cueing system. Strengthens literacy instruction standards in K-12 schools.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

Track

died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HJ 36: Resolution in support of instruction in reading and writing in cursive

HJ 36 is a non-binding resolution encouraging Montana's public school districts to provide cursive writing instruction to students, primarily affecting K-12 students and school administrators. It urges schools to introduce cursive as early as developmentally appropriate and maintain exposure throughout a student's education, citing cognitive benefits and the importance of reading historical documents like the Declaration of Independence. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to share it with education officials but does not mandate or fund cursive instruction. It died in committee in May 2025 and remains a symbolic gesture, not a law.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEncourages cursive instruction in K-12 curriculum, promoting cognitive benefits and historical document literacy as part of educational standards.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

Track

died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 451: Revise tax increment financing districts to exclude debt service and certain school levies

HB 451 revises how tax increment financing (TIF) is calculated for newly established targeted economic development districts and urban renewal areas. For districts created after the bill's effective date, it excludes several specific mill levies from the tax increment calculation. These exclusions include certain university system mills, a portion of elementary, high school, and state equalization mills, new voter-approved levies, and mills for general obligation bond debt service. This means that a larger share of the new property tax revenue generated in these areas would directly go to the affected taxing jurisdictions, rather than into the TIF fund.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesExcludes school levies and debt service from TIF calculations, reducing available revenue for economic development districts.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationExcludes school levies from TIF calculations, reducing potential school funding streams by removing these revenues from tax increment calculations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

Track

died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 255: Revise online data privacy laws for K-12 pupil records

HB 255 revises Montana's data privacy rules for K-12 student records held by third-party educational technology providers (like apps or cloud services). It requires school districts to include specific privacy protections in contracts with these vendors, such as prohibiting the use of student data for targeted advertising, ensuring data security, and guaranteeing students or parents can access or correct their records. The bill also allows schools to adopt pre-approved model contracts from privacy-focused consortia to simplify compliance. These changes directly affect school districts, educational tech companies, and students whose data is stored or managed through digital platforms.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProtects student data privacy in K-12 ed tech contracts by banning targeted ads, ensuring security, and enabling data access/correction, directly strengthening educational data safeguards.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires edtech vendors to prohibit student data use for ads, ensure security, and allow data access/correction - strengthening privacy protections for K-12 tech services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

Track

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 320: Establish the Montana's academic prosperity program for scholars act

HB 320 establishes Montana's Academic Prosperity Program for Scholars (MAPPS) to offer educational options for eligible students aged 5-19. The program provides state income tax credits to individuals and corporations who donate to educational assistance accounts for participating students, and also to parents for their qualified education expenses. A program manager oversees these funds and their distribution for educational assistance, with guidance from a new MAPPS council. Students participating in MAPPS are exempt from public school compulsory enrollment requirements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides state income tax credits for education donations and expenses, directly advancing tax policy to fund educational programs through fiscal incentives.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates MAPPS program using tax credits to expand educational access and funding options for students aged 5-19 through donations and qualified expenses.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

Track

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 405: Increase on-schedule reimbursement rates for school transportation

HB 405 proposed to increase the maximum reimbursement rates that school districts receive from state and county sources for student transportation. The bill specifically raised the per-mile rates for school buses of different passenger capacities, as well as for non-bus mileage. The intent was to lower school district property taxes designated for transportation expenses. These changes would have applied to school district transportation budgets starting July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly increases state reimbursement to lower school district property taxes, providing direct tax relief for local communities.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases state reimbursement rates for school transportation, reducing district costs and supporting school finance under education funding.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationIncreases reimbursement rates for school bus transportation infrastructure, directly funding school district transportation operations per bill summary.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

Track

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 373: Revise lottery proceeds laws to dedicate to education funding

HB 373 aimed to revise the allocation of excess state lottery revenue, dedicating it to education funding instead of the state general fund. The Office of Public Instruction would distribute these funds quarterly to school districts based on a per-quality-educator formula. Districts would deposit these funds into their school flexibility funds, which could be used for various expenditures, including teacher salaries, benefits, housing, technology enhancements, and facility improvements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects existing lottery revenue to education funding, increasing public service allocation without new taxes or tax changes.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill redirects lottery revenue to education funding, earmarked for teacher salaries, benefits, and infrastructure - directly increases school funding allocation.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill dedicates lottery funds for teacher salaries, benefits, and workplace improvements per school district formula, directly funding labor-related employment costs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

Track