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.
This bill establishes a Montana veterinary training loan program to address veterinarian shortages in rural areas. It provides loans (up to $100,000 total) to veterinary students enrolled in accredited programs who commit to practicing full-time in Montana’s underserved rural areas for four years after graduation. Montana residents receive priority, and participants must maintain good academic standing while obtaining a Montana veterinary license. If participants fail to fulfill the commitment, they must repay the loan plus interest, but forgiven loans are not considered taxable income. The program is administered by the Montana Commissioner of Higher Education with defined reporting and eligibility requirements.
This bill expands Montana's Best Beginnings scholarship program to provide direct financial aid to child-care workers employed at licensed day-care centers or registered family/group day-care homes. It removes standard income eligibility requirements for these workers (previously only applied to families) and allocates $5.5 million annually from the general fund starting July 2025 to fund these scholarships. The program now specifically supports child-care workers through this new funding stream, separate from the existing family-focused scholarship component.
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.
Senate Bill 412 provides fee waivers for certain government documents for individuals who were formerly in foster care and are under 21 years of age. This includes fees for certified birth certificates, driver's licenses, state identification cards, and replacement licenses. Fees for university academic transcripts are also waived, with the Department of Public Health and Human Services authorized to seek federal funds to reimburse the institutions. Individuals can provide an oral attestation to prove eligibility for these waivers.
HB 282 would have amended Montana's tuition waiver law to require tribal certification for descendants of federally recognized tribes seeking tuition waivers. Specifically, it would have added a requirement that descendants provide a certificate of descendancy issued by their tribe to qualify for waivers under Section 20-25-421(2)(c)(i). This change would directly affect American Indian students who are descendants of Montana tribes but not enrolled members, as they would need formal tribal verification to access the waiver. The bill was withdrawn before becoming law on February 22, 2025.
This bill requires Montana's state treasurer to transfer all unspent funds from the state's "debt and liability free account" into the "coal severance tax permanent fund" within 10 days of the bill's effective date. The transfer applies only to unobligated and unexpended money in the debt-free account, as defined in existing law. If another bill (SB 90) fails to pass, the transfer would instead go to the "Montana school facilities fund" instead. The bill appropriates $100 from the general fund to cover implementation costs for the 2025-2027 biennium. It takes effect immediately upon approval.
HB 945 aimed to establish the Early Childhood Education and Child Care Infrastructure Grant Program in Montana. This program would have provided up to $10 million in grants to licensed child care facilities and school districts across the state. The grants were intended to fund capital expenses, such as property acquisition, construction, renovation, and equipment purchases, to create new or expand existing child care programs. Recipients of grants $50,000 or more would have been required to provide matching funds or in-kind contributions. The bill also set limits on the maximum funding per county and per individual project.
SB 351 limits Montana local governments' ability to save ("bank") property tax authority for certain state-mandated tax programs. It specifically amends property tax law to prevent local entities from carrying forward unused mill authority (tax rate allowances) for taxes imposed under statutes 20-9-331, 20-9-333, 20-9-360, and 20-25-439. This change directly affects counties, cities, and school districts that rely on these specific state tax programs, requiring them to use their full annual tax authority each year rather than saving it for future use. The bill’s key provision removes these programs from the existing rule that allows governments to carry forward unused tax authority to future years.
HB 457 aimed to modify the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program. It proposed changing the family income eligibility requirement from a minimum of 185% of the federal poverty level to 85% of the state median income for each family size. Additionally, the bill sought to appropriate $17 million annually from the general fund to the Department of Public Health and Human Services for the program for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025.
