Labor & Employment

died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 325: Creating family and medical leave act

SB 325 would have created Montana's first state-run family and medical leave insurance program. It would have established an insurance fund funded by mandatory contributions from both employers and employees (and optional contributions from self-employed individuals), providing wage replacement benefits for up to 12 weeks per year for qualifying medical or family needs like childbirth, serious illness, or caring for a family member. The program would have directly affected Montana workers who paid into the fund, their employers, and self-employed individuals who opted in, with benefits contingent on fund solvency. The bill died in committee on May 23, 2025, and was never enacted into law.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates state-run family leave with wage replacement benefits, expanding worker protections for medical/family needs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 635: Revise human rights laws to prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion programs

HB 635 proposes to prohibit state and local government agencies from funding, establishing, or supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. It would prevent these agencies from requiring employees to participate in DEI programs or spending public funds on related services or staff. The bill defines DEI programs as activities that focus on describing power structures, methods to dismantle them, or advancing theories like implicit bias or systemic oppression. However, it includes exceptions for complying with federal law, specific state human rights laws, court orders, and offering sexual harassment training. This legislation directly affects state and local government agencies and their employees in Montana.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill prohibits DEI programs addressing systemic oppression and implicit bias - key components of criminal justice reform. This restricts initiatives to reduce bias in law enforcement and courts, aligning with 'oppose' indicators.80% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentProhibits government funding/support for DEI programs addressing workplace discrimination, directly restricting employment equality initiatives under Labor & Employment protections.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Employment Discrimination

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 295: Restoring the right for injured worker to choose their own doctor.

SB 295 would restore Montana injured workers' right to choose their own treating physician for initial treatment and ongoing care under workers' compensation, without being forced to use a managed care organization (MCO) or preferred provider organization (PPO) without consent. The bill requires insurers to allow workers to select a physician from a designated list for initial treatment and to change physicians with the insurer's approval (with mediation available if approval is denied). It also mandates that insurers provide individual written notice (not workplace postings) before referring workers to an MCO or PPO. This directly affects injured workers seeking medical treatment for work-related injuries in Montana, giving them more control over their healthcare decisions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestores injured workers' right to choose treating physician, improving healthcare access without insurer-imposed MCO/PPO restrictions.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRestores injured workers' right to choose physicians under workers' comp, protecting healthcare access and advancing labor rights without forced MCO/PPO use.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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vetoed · Montana · Senate Jun 9, 2025

SB 394: Provide for workers' compensation coverage of PTSD for first responders

SB 394 would have expanded Montana's workers' compensation system to cover posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for eligible first responders. It defines "first responder" to include firefighters, law enforcement officers, detention center/prison staff, and emergency care providers, requiring a diagnosis per the latest DSM-5 manual that links PTSD directly to work duties. The bill amended existing laws to allow PTSD claims under workers' compensation, subject to standard procedural requirements. However, this bill was vetoed by the Governor on June 9, 2025, so it did not become law.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands workers' comp coverage to include PTSD for first responders, directly enhancing mental health care access under healthcare services per bill's explicit coverage expansion.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands workers' compensation benefits for first responders by covering PTSD, directly strengthening workplace health protections under Labor & Employment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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signed · Montana · Senate May 8, 2025

SB 223: Allow interest earned on workforce housing appropriations to be retained

SB 223 amends an existing law to ensure that any interest or income earned from a $12 million fund for workforce housing is retained within that fund. This fund is specifically allocated to assist employees working at state facilities that house state inmates or behavioral health patients, particularly in eligible rural counties. By retaining the earned interest, the bill aims to increase the total resources available for initiatives such as buying down construction costs, providing loans, or acquiring housing for these employees. The bill takes effect immediately and applies retroactively to interest earned on or after June 14, 2023.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRetains interest in workforce housing fund to increase resources for housing initiatives, promoting fiscal responsibility and funding essential programs within state appropriations.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingRetains interest in workforce housing fund, increasing resources for housing initiatives in rural counties, directly funding affordable housing development.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRetains interest in workforce housing fund to increase resources for employee housing at state facilities, directly supporting employment conditions for workers in eligible rural counties.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing

died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 345: Revise workers' compensation laws relating to evidentiary standards

SB 345 would change how medical evidence is evaluated in Montana workers' compensation cases. It removes automatic preference for treating physicians' opinions, requiring courts to weigh medical testimony based on the provider's qualifications, experience with the specific worker, and credibility. The bill also limits discovery about independent medical examiners (IMEs) to their training, exam volume, and payments from insurers, aiming to reduce bias concerns. These changes directly affect workers seeking compensation, insurers requesting medical evaluations, and medical providers involved in these cases. The bill was introduced in 2025 but died in committee before becoming law.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRemoves automatic preference for treating physicians' opinions in workers' comp cases, potentially making it harder for workers to prove claims and weakening their protections under compensation laws.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 27, 2025

LC 1364: Generally revise employee tax credit laws to include apprentices

This bill expands Montana's job growth tax credit to include construction industry apprentices as "qualifying new employees." It amends Section 39-11-404 to explicitly define apprentices as eligible for the credit, which previously required hiring full-time employees meeting specific wage and growth thresholds. Employers in the construction industry that hire apprentices will now qualify for the same annual tax credit as those hiring other new employees, subject to existing requirements (e.g., 10+ apprentices in the first year, 15+ annually after). The credit remains tied to net employee growth calculations and is administered by the Montana Department of Revenue. The policy change applies to credits claimed through 2028.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands tax credit for construction apprentices, providing tax relief to employers under revenue program, aligning with fiscal responsibility indicators.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands tax credit eligibility for construction apprentices, incentivizing employer hiring and workforce development under Labor & Employment policy.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Tax Credits Apprenticeships

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died · Montana · Legislature May 22, 2025

LC 4288: Generally revise independent contractor exemption laws

LC 4288 aimed to revise laws governing independent contractor exemptions, which would have affected workers classified as independent contractors and businesses using such arrangements. The bill sought to update the criteria for determining independent contractor status, potentially altering how workers' rights and business obligations are defined. However, the bill was placed on hold in April 2025 and ultimately died in the drafting process without advancing further. No specific provisions or mechanisms were finalized, as the bill never progressed beyond the draft stage.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill revises independent contractor rules to potentially expand worker protections and rights under Labor & Employment laws, aligning with support indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards Workers' Compensation

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died · Montana · Legislature May 24, 2025

LC 1252: Generally revise laws related to illegal undocumented alien employment

This bill (LC 1252) proposed revisions to state laws concerning employment of undocumented immigrants. It did not become law, as it died in the legislative process on May 24, 2025, after being drafted but not advanced further. The bill's title indicates it aimed to change regulations around unauthorized employment, but no specific provisions or affected groups were detailed in the provided context. Since it never passed, it did not implement any policy changes.

Topics ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationBill title targets 'illegal undocumented alien employment' with no pro-immigrant indicators, implying restrictive enforcement on undocumented worker access.80% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill targets restrictions on undocumented workers' employment, aligning with 'oppose' indicators of limiting employment access.85% confidence

Sub-Topics DACA & Dreamers Driver Licenses & IDs Work Authorization Child Labor Gig Economy Labor Standards

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died · Montana · Legislature May 26, 2025

LC 1409: Create a public employee bill of rights

This bill (LC 1409), titled "Create a public employee bill of rights," was proposed to establish specific rights for state and local government employees. The bill never advanced beyond the drafting stage, as it was placed on hold in February 2025 and ultimately died in process on May 26, 2025. No concrete policy provisions were enacted, as the bill did not reach a vote or committee hearing. Therefore, it did not directly affect any public employees or create new legal protections. The proposal was procedural in nature but never became law.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly aims to establish public employee rights, aligning with worker protection indicators despite not advancing to vote.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

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