Education (Student Health)

introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 26, 2025

LC 4339: Authorize use of school chaplains in school districts and public charter schools

This bill allows Montana school districts and public charter schools to hire paid or volunteer chaplains to provide support services to students. Schools that choose to use chaplains must create a policy outlining the services offered, notify parents about availability, and obtain written consent before students participate. The bill requires chaplains to pass background checks, be at least 18 years old, and have good moral character, with their religious affiliations listed publicly on school websites. Additionally, schools may use chaplains to perform duties typically assigned to school counselors, and all chaplains must be certified by the state superintendent of public instruction. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands student support services by allowing chaplains, enhancing educational access and student welfare programs in schools75% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 3, 2025

LC 1780: Establishing the school mental health promotion pilot program

This bill creates a pilot program to support Montana schools in implementing student-led mental health initiatives. The Office of Public Instruction will administer the program by awarding grants to school districts that demonstrate a specific need for mental health support and show evidence of broad community involvement from students, parents, staff, and local organizations. Each grant will provide between $10,000 and $50,000 for two years, with funds restricted to mental health promotion activities such as counseling access, peer mentoring, schedule modifications, and community-building programs. Participating districts must report annually on how they used the funds and evaluate the program's effectiveness, while the state will provide $250,000 in initial funding to distribute grants starting in 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes funding for student mental health initiatives in schools, expanding support programs and allocating grants to school districts for mental health promotion.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes a pilot program with grants to fund student-led mental health initiatives in schools, directly supporting mental health services and access.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 26, 2025

LC 2809: Directing DPHHS and OPI to develop a plan to expand mental health education to all schools in the state

This bill directs Montana's Department of Public Health and Human Services and the Office of Public Instruction to create a plan for expanding mental health education to all public schools in the state. The plan must include curriculum details, financial and technical support mechanisms, data collection methods, and focus on specific areas like bullying, suicide prevention, and substance use. The agencies are required to submit interim progress reports by September 2025 and January 2026, with a final plan due by May 2026. The legislation also requires the secretary of state to notify federally recognized tribal governments about the act.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands mental health education across all public schools, enhancing student programs and educational access through required curriculum development and support mechanisms.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates expansion of mental health education in schools, directly supporting mental health services and preventive care initiatives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum School Safety Student Health Mental Health Public Health

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 23, 2025

LC 1412: Revise emergency use of epinephrine in school setting to include nasal spray

This bill allows schools in Montana to permit students to carry and use epinephrine nasal spray as an emergency treatment for severe allergies, anaphylaxis, or asthma, expanding beyond the current allowance for autoinjectable forms. It requires students to provide written parental authorization, a physician's prescription with dosage and administration instructions, proof of training on proper use, and a written treatment plan before carrying the medication on campus or during school activities. Schools must keep these documents on file and are protected from liability unless injury results from gross negligence or intentional misconduct, while students must report to a school nurse immediately after using epinephrine for follow-up care.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands emergency medical access for students in schools, enhancing student safety and educational environment by allowing epinephrine nasal spray use.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands access to emergency allergy treatment in schools by allowing nasal spray epinephrine, improving patient safety and healthcare access for students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Healthcare Workforce

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 18, 2025

LC 1781: Eliminate reduced-price copayments for school lunch and breakfast

This bill creates a state program to provide replacement funding to Montana school districts that choose to eliminate reduced-price copayments for school lunches and breakfasts. It directly affects families eligible for reduced-price meals under federal programs and school districts administering those meals. The state will distribute up to $600,000 annually from the general fund to cover the costs districts incur when removing these fees from eligible students. The bill also allows the state superintendent to accept private donations and request additional funding if the initial appropriation is insufficient, with the program becoming effective on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $600,000 from general fund to support school districts eliminating reduced-price meal copayments, directly funding essential education services for low-income families.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill provides state funding to eliminate copayments for school meals, expanding access to nutrition programs for students and supporting school districts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Student Health

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 385: Establishing the school mental health promotion pilot program

HB 385 proposed establishing the School Mental Health Promotion Pilot Program, administered by the Office of Public Instruction. This program would have provided grants to Montana school districts to implement innovative, student-led, and locally determined initiatives aimed at improving student mental health. Districts applying for grants would have needed to demonstrate specific needs, broad community support in their application development, and plans for mental health promotion activities and program evaluation. The bill proposed annual grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 for a two-year period, with $250,000 appropriated annually from the general fund. The program was set to terminate on June 30, 2029.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds school mental health pilot program through grants, directly addressing appropriations in state budget allocation.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides grants for school mental health programs, enhancing student well-being and support services within K-12 education.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill allocates grants to school districts for student mental health promotion initiatives, directly advancing mental health services through funding and program implementation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Apr 14, 2025

LC 2785: Request interim study on increasing impact of school counselors

This joint resolution (LC 2785) requests an interim study to examine how Montana can better utilize school counselors to improve student outcomes. It directs the Legislative Council to form a committee to investigate counselor shortages, current student-counselor ratios, and effective practices used in other states. The committee must collaborate with school counselors, the Board of Public Education, and advocacy groups, and report findings to the 70th Legislature by September 2026. The study focuses on strengthening school counseling programs without making immediate policy changes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequests study to improve school counselor utilization and student outcomes, directly addressing educational support needs through enhanced counselor services and ratios.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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died · Montana · Legislature May 24, 2025

LC 1221: Address food security on college campuses

This bill (LC 1221) aimed to address food insecurity among college students by requiring public institutions to establish campus food pantries and coordinate with local hunger relief organizations. It would have directly affected public college students and campus administrators by mandating these support systems. However, the bill never progressed beyond the drafting stage, with its draft placed on hold in December 2024 and ultimately "died in process" in May 2025. No specific provisions or mechanisms were finalized, as the proposal was abandoned before committee review. The bill remains a proposed measure with no enacted policy changes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates public colleges to establish food pantries addressing student food insecurity, directly enhancing educational access and support systems for higher education students.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Health

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vetoed · Montana · House Jun 19, 2025

HB 551: Eliminate reduced-price copayments for school lunch and breakfast

HB 551 would have created a state program to replace funding for Montana school districts that eliminate small copayments for reduced-price school lunches and breakfasts. It aimed to remove financial barriers for families meeting federal income eligibility (for low-income meals) by providing $600,000 annually starting in 2025 to offset lost revenue. The bill required the state superintendent to administer the program and adopt rules, with funding intended to cover districts voluntarily removing fees. However, the bill was vetoed by the governor on June 19, 2025, so it did not become law.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $600,000 annually to replace lost revenue from schools eliminating copayments for low-income meals, increasing public service funding.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides $600,000 annually to remove copayments for school meals, expanding access for low-income students and offsetting district revenue loss.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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signed · Montana · Senate May 8, 2025

SB 369: Strengthen suicide prevention efforts in schools

SB 369 strengthens youth suicide prevention efforts in Montana schools by revising existing laws. It requires the Office of Public Instruction to ensure low-cost and no-cost options for youth suicide awareness and prevention training for schools. Employees of school districts and certain Office of Public Instruction staff who work directly with students must complete at least one hour of this training every three years. School districts are also required to include these training requirements in their suicide prevention and response policies.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires mandatory suicide prevention training for school staff, enhancing student support programs within K-12 education framework per bill's explicit strengthening intent.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health