Education (Higher Education)

introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 5, 2025

LC 181: Generally revise voter identification laws

This bill revises voter identification laws, directly affecting all registered voters in Montana by narrowing the types of identification accepted for voting. For in-person voting, it removes student photo identification cards issued by the Montana university system and eliminates the option to combine a document showing name and address with a general photo identification card. For mail-in voting, the bill similarly removes student photo identification cards from the Montana university system from the list of accepted photo ID copies.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill removes student photo IDs from Montana university system for voting, limiting access to voting for students and higher education institutions.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Tags Elections

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 6, 2025

LC 653: Joint resolution to support shooting competition as a collegiate sport

This bill is a joint resolution that encourages the Montana University System to recognize shooting sports as official collegiate activities. It directly affects Montana colleges and universities by urging them to adopt shooting competitions, use university resources to support them, and create scholarships for students participating in these sports. The resolution encourages institutions to partner with external organizations and develop funding specifically for shooting sports programs. It does not mandate any changes but serves as a legislative recommendation to promote these activities within the state's higher education system.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill encourages colleges to adopt shooting sports, create scholarships, and develop funding for student programs, expanding educational opportunities.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 14, 2025

LC 1207: Revise laws related to educating children receiving in-state inpatient treatment of serious emotional disturbances

This bill establishes a clearer framework for funding education for children in Montana who are receiving inpatient treatment for serious emotional disturbances at state-qualified facilities. It requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to create rules for calculating tuition costs and outlines how state and local school districts will share payment responsibilities for these educational services. The legislation also clarifies that facilities must prioritize Montana residents, prohibits additional charges for eligible students, and provides backup options if a facility fails to offer appropriate educational programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes funding framework for education services for children in inpatient treatment, ensuring continued educational access and clarifying payment responsibilities between state and local districts.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes funding framework for education of children in mental health treatment, supports mental health services access and care coordination85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 24, 2025

LC 2182: Revise contract laws relating to student athletes

This bill requires that contracts related to college student-athlete rights, including compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness, must be in writing to be legally valid. It prohibits colleges and athletic organizations from preventing student-athletes from earning such compensation or from penalizing them for exercising these rights, while allowing schools to use athletes' likenesses in their own agreements. The legislation also mandates that student-athletes disclose any such contracts to their institution and clarifies that schools may negotiate on behalf of athletes regarding name, image, and likeness deals. Additionally, the bill amends existing contract law statutes to specifically include these athlete agreements under the requirement that they be written and signed.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill protects student-athlete rights and compensation, enhancing educational access and opportunities for college students.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 19, 2025

LC 1058: Provide for fee waivers of government documents to former foster children

This bill allows former foster children in Montana who are under 21 years old to receive free copies of certain government documents, including birth certificates, driver's licenses, identification cards, and student transcripts. The legislation removes fees for these individuals at county clerks, the Department of Public Health and Human Services, the Department of Justice, and Montana university systems, though transcript fees may still be charged if the state cannot reimburse them. To access these waivers, eligible individuals only need to verbally confirm they meet the criteria, and the state is authorized to seek federal funding to cover the cost of waived fees. The bill also updates existing state laws to reflect these fee exemptions and grants the Department of Public Health and Human Services authority to create rules for implementation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill removes fees for student transcripts and government documents for former foster children, improving educational access for vulnerable youth.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 24, 2025

LC 2874: Revise university system laws to remove barriers to freshmen living off campus

This bill requires Montana university system schools to allow freshmen to live off campus with an immediate family member if that residence is within a one-hour drive of the campus. It defines immediate family members as parents, legal guardians, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or adult siblings, and mandates that schools approve or deny housing requests within two business days. Students must submit a form confirming their living situation, and schools cannot deny requests if the student meets the distance and family requirements. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands educational access by allowing freshmen to live off-campus with family, reducing housing barriers and increasing university system accessibility.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill facilitates off-campus housing for freshmen by removing barriers, allowing students to live with family members, which supports affordable housing options and reduces housing costs for students.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 15, 2025

LC 2332: Revise laws related to tuition waiver laws for American Indian students

This bill updates Montana state law to clarify tuition waiver eligibility for American Indian students and their descendants. It requires that descendants of federally recognized tribes must obtain formal certification of their tribal affiliation from the tribe before receiving tuition waivers, while maintaining existing eligibility criteria for individuals with at least one-fourth Indian blood or enrolled status. The legislation also mandates that the Montana Secretary of State send a copy of the updated law to all federally recognized tribal governments in the state. These changes take effect on July 1, 2025, and apply to students enrolled in the Montana university system.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands tuition waiver eligibility for American Indian students, enhancing educational access and financial support for higher education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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signed · Montana · House May 16, 2025

HB 284: Establish an interim committee to investigate civil rights violations and censorship within the MUS

HB 284 establishes the Montana University System Investigation Committee, composed of six legislators. This committee is tasked with investigating civil rights violations and acts of censorship within the Montana University System. It will gather testimony from students about their experiences or observations at public universities and colleges. The committee will then make findings and recommendations, which will be reported to various state and federal officials. The bill appropriates $13,500 for committee expenses and the committee will conclude its work by December 31, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill investigates censorship and civil rights violations in MUS, protecting academic freedom and educational access within higher education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 51: Increase MUS-RP supplemental contribution to TRS

HB 51 proposes to increase the supplemental employer contribution rate paid by employers within the Montana University System (MUS) to the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS). Currently, MUS employers contribute 4.72% of the total compensation for employees participating in the MUS Retirement Program. This bill would raise that contribution rate to 14.21%. The increased contributions are intended to help amortize the past service liability of the Teachers' Retirement System for university system members by July 1, 2033, with the changes taking effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases retirement contributions for university teachers, strengthening teacher benefits within higher education funding system.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases employer retirement contributions (4.72% to 14.21%) for MUS teachers, expanding their retirement benefits as part of employment standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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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

Sub-Topics Higher Education