This bill allows high school students in grades 11 and 12 to earn elective credits toward graduation by working at long-term care, nursing home, home care, or child care facilities. Students can earn one credit for every 250 hours worked, with a maximum of two credits allowed. Schools must create application forms to verify work hours and may set specific conditions on the types of tasks students perform. The program applies to both public and private schools and takes effect on July 1, 2025.
This bill establishes mandatory minimum nurse-to-patient ratios for various hospital units in Montana, directly affecting licensed hospitals and the nurses who work there. It requires hospitals to create staffing committees with at least 50% direct-care nurses to develop and approve annual staffing plans that specify minimum staffing levels for each unit. The bill sets specific maximum patient loads for nurses across different departments, such as limiting ICU nurses to two patients and ER nurses to four non-critical patients, while also mandating that staffing plans be publicly posted and that hospitals maintain detailed records of actual staffing levels.
This bill amends Montana's workers' compensation law to clarify when temporary total disability benefits end for injured workers. It requires insurers to terminate these benefits on the specific date a worker is officially released to full duty, even if they have not yet reached maximum medical improvement. The change applies to workers who are cleared to return to their full job responsibilities before their medical treatment is considered complete. Insurance companies must still follow existing requirements for medical evaluations and physician determinations before converting benefits to permanent disability status. The law takes effect immediately upon approval.
This bill updates Montana's workers' compensation laws to clarify who can receive payments on behalf of minors and individuals adjudged incompetent. It allows a workers' compensation judge to appoint a benefits administrator to manage these payments and pursue claims for vulnerable claimants. The legislation also establishes a two-year deadline for filing disputes about benefits and clarifies that a judge can appoint an administrator without first going through standard dispute resolution steps. These changes primarily affect employers, insurers, and the workers' compensation department by defining the proper recipients of payments and the process for appointing representatives for those unable to manage their own benefits.
This bill adopts the Interstate Massage Compact into Montana law, creating a multistate licensing system for massage therapists that allows them to practice across participating states with a single license. The compact establishes an interstate commission to oversee the program and requires criminal background checks for applicants, while enabling states to share disciplinary and investigative information to protect public safety. It aims to increase mobility for licensed therapists, particularly military members and their spouses, while maintaining each state's authority to enforce its own massage therapy regulations and hold licensees accountable regardless of where they hold their multistate license.
This bill revises the Montana Firefighters' Unified Retirement System to include public safety employees working for airport authorities, allowing them to participate in the same retirement benefits as other firefighters. The legislation amends state statutes to officially define airport authority public safety officers as eligible members of the retirement system and clarifies how compensation is calculated for various firefighter categories. By adding airport authority employees to the list of covered employers, the bill ensures these workers gain access to retirement plans previously available only to city and county firefighters. The changes take effect on the date specified in the bill and apply to both current and future airport authority public safety employees meeting the required standards.
This bill updates Montana's laws governing construction contractors by transferring their registration from the Department of Commerce to the Department of Labor and Industry. It establishes clear licensing requirements, mandating that contractors provide personal identification, workers' compensation proof, and owner information when applying for a license. The legislation also defines unprofessional conduct, including criminal convictions related to fraud or violence, and creates a consumer education program to inform the public about licensing standards. Additionally, the bill sets up a fee structure to fund enforcement and directs fines to an uninsured employers' fund.
This bill updates the employer contribution rates for three Montana law enforcement retirement systems: the Highway Patrol Officers' Retirement System, the Sheriffs' Retirement System, and the Game Wardens' and Peace Officers' Retirement System. It establishes a minimum contribution rate of 38.33% for state employees and 13.115% for local employers, ensuring rates cannot fall below these amounts. The legislation also sets limits on annual rate changes, allowing increases or decreases of no more than 0.5% per year, and outlines how contributions should be calculated to cover legacy unfunded liabilities, contemporary unfunded liabilities, and normal costs of benefits as they accrue.
This bill revises Montana's workers' compensation laws to clarify when insurers can require payment without accepting liability and how benefits are handled during disputes. It allows the workers' compensation department to order temporary benefit payments of up to 49 days when an insurer terminates benefits and the worker contests the decision, provided the worker shows they are likely to win the dispute. The bill also permits insurers to pay for medical treatment without admitting fault for the injury and outlines specific situations where workers may lose benefits for refusing to cooperate with medical care or treatment plans. These changes directly affect injured workers, insurance companies, and the state workers' compensation department by modifying how claims are processed and disputes are resolved.
This bill allows county detention officers in Montana to receive longevity payments similar to those given to deputy sheriffs and undersheriffs. Starting after their first year of employment, detention officers would earn an additional 1% of their minimum base annual salary for each year of service, paid out in monthly installments. The legislation also clarifies that these salary provisions override conflicting state laws regarding unfunded mandates. This change directly affects county detention officers and their employers by creating a new compensation structure for long-term service.
