Labor & Employment (Public Employees)

This bill changes the amortization period for Montana's statewide defined benefit public employee retirement systems from 30 years to 25 years. It directly affects retirement plans for public employees including judges, highway patrol officers, sheriffs, game wardens, peace officers, municipal police, firefighters, volunteer firefighters, and teachers. The key provision requires that any additional benefits added to these systems must be fully funded within the new 25-year amortization period and be projected to be fully funded in perpetuity. The changes apply to multiple specific retirement systems across different sections of the Montana Code Annotated and take effect on July 1, 2025.

This bill revises Montana's labor laws to restrict how public sector employees and their unions can use public resources for union activities. It prohibits government agencies from using public funds to support labor organizations and bars public employees from receiving paid time off for union work, except under specific conditions where unpaid leave is allowed or personal leave is used with strict oversight. The law also requires detailed reporting and reimbursement processes when employees use compensated leave for representational activities, ensuring public funds are not indirectly used for union purposes. Additionally, the bill updates existing rules of conduct for public officers and employees to further clarify restrictions on using public resources for private or organizational business.

This bill (LC 2925) proposed requiring most state employees to work at least three days per week in an office location, limiting their ability to work remotely. It would have directly affected all state employees whose positions were not explicitly exempted. The key provision mandated a minimum in-office work requirement, overriding existing remote work policies for affected roles. However, the bill died in the legislative process on May 27, 2025, and never became law.