HB 920 establishes a temporary property tax exemption for new senior care facilities and housing development projects. Tax-exempt non-profit organizations sponsoring these projects must first petition a local government, which determines if there is a "compelling need" for the project through a public hearing. If approved by the local government, the sponsor can then apply to the department of revenue for the exemption. This bill aims to encourage the development of various affordable housing and care options for seniors aged 55 or 62 and older.
HB 590 revises laws related to electronic health records, affecting health carriers, healthcare providers, and patients. It requires health carriers to establish and maintain specific application programming interfaces (APIs) for patient and provider access to health information, adhering to federal standards. Additionally, the bill prohibits healthcare providers from "information blocking" and mandates the disclosure of certain sensitive test results, such as those indicating malignancy or genetic markers, to a patient's electronic health record within 72 hours of finalization.
HB 794 revises general pharmacy laws, impacting pharmacies, pharmacy technicians, and clinical pharmacist practitioners. The bill updates and clarifies definitions, removes the utilization plan requirement for in-state and mail-order pharmacies, and mandates an endorsement for clinical pharmacist practitioners. It also eliminates outdated notification practices for biosimilar drug selection and generic drug signage requirements. Additionally, the bill clarifies pharmacy wholesale distribution licenses and the powers of the Board of Pharmacy, and adjusts provisions for insurance plans regarding out-of-state mail-order pharmacies.
HB 76 revises laws concerning the Board of Behavioral Health. The bill establishes certification and regulation for "family peer support specialists," individuals who use their personal experience to support parents and caregivers of children with significant physical, developmental, or behavioral health needs. It also adds family peer support to the list of practices regulated by the board and provides a specific licensure exemption for religious officials.
House Bill 918 requires the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) to report on its progress in developing a plan to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court's *Olmstead v. L.C.* decision. This decision focuses on providing services for individuals with disabilities in community-based settings rather than institutions. DPHHS must provide quarterly updates to the health and human services budget committee during the legislative interim regarding this plan. The bill becomes effective on July 1, 2025, and is set to terminate on September 15, 2026.
HB 936 implements specific provisions of the state's General Appropriations Act, primarily affecting healthcare funding and operations. It reallocates a portion of the hospital utilization fee to provide incentive payments for hospital quality and efficiency, and to support independent critical access hospitals. The bill also expands the eligible uses of the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Fund to include student loan repayment for certain healthcare professionals and funding for additional beds at the Montana State Hospital on a one-time basis. Finally, it establishes new reporting requirements for comprehensive school and community treatment services for children and for hiring efforts at the Montana State Hospital.
HB 669 revises laws concerning educational programs for children receiving in-state inpatient treatment for serious emotional disturbances, directly affecting these children, their school districts, and qualifying treatment facilities. The bill authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to contract with facilities to deliver these educational programs, establishing a daily rate for services based on actual costs. Funding responsibility is shared, with the SPI paying the facility the daily rate minus a contribution from the child's school district of residence. It also clarifies the SPI's rulemaking authority for tuition calculations and outlines alternative methods for providing education if a facility fails to offer appropriate programs or contract with the state.
HB 869, titled "Provide for the sudden cardiac arrest prevention in youth sports," establishes measures to prevent sudden cardiac arrest in youth athletes. It requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop informational resources on cardiac arrest symptoms and risks. Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, schools with athletic programs must implement cardiac emergency response plans, including accessible automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and staff training in CPR and AED use. Coaches will be required to be certified in CPR, first aid, and AED use, and hold informational meetings for parents and athletes. The bill also allows coaches or officials to remove athletes exhibiting cardiac arrest symptoms, who then require written medical clearance to return to play, and clarifies that AED purchases are an allowable expenditure for school safety.
SB 560 requires nonprofit hospitals to report their annual charity care and community benefit spending to the state. The bill mandates that a nonprofit hospital's total community benefit must exceed the amount of property taxes it would have paid if it were not tax-exempt. If a hospital's reported community benefit does not meet this threshold, a fee equal to the difference will be assessed. These collected fees are then deposited into a new Critical Access Health Care Special Revenue Account, which provides funding to critical access hospitals not affiliated with other hospitals.
SB 260 establishes procedures for altering the boundaries of hospital and school service districts. It allows real property owners to petition for these changes if they have difficulty accessing public services or to improve public safety services like law enforcement, firefighting, or emergency medical services. The process involves petitions, public hearings, and election procedures to transfer property between existing districts or create new divisions. The bill also provides for sharing tax collections and making reconciliation payments between districts when boundaries are altered.
