Rep. Lukas Schubert

Maddy summaryHB 854 would have established a refundable income tax credit for Montana taxpayers who purchase a federal firearm suppressor tax stamp. The credit aimed to offset the cost of one such stamp, providing up to $50 or the actual stamp cost, whichever was less. This credit would have been available in the tax year the stamp was purchased, starting January 1, 2026, and terminating December 31, 2027. The bill's stated purpose was to encourage citizen safety by helping to prevent long-term hearing damage.

Maddy summaryHB 734, titled the "Responsible Restroom Allocation Act," would prohibit public educational institutions in Montana from providing or maintaining menstrual product dispensers in male-designated restrooms. This applies to all public elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as units of the Montana university system and community colleges. The bill requires existing dispensers in male-designated restrooms to be removed within 60 days of its effective date. Compliance would be overseen by the Superintendent of Public Instruction for K-12 schools and the Board of Regents for higher education, with potential withholding of administrative funding for non-compliance. The bill clarifies that menstrual products can still be provided in female-designated restrooms, nurse's offices, or student health centers.

Maddy summaryHB 896 aimed to expand Montana's obstructing justice laws by redefining who is considered "an offender." Under this bill, "an offender" would include individuals who have entered the United States unlawfully or have not complied with their immigration status conditions. Consequently, a person could be charged with obstructing justice for knowingly harboring, assisting, or preventing the discovery or apprehension of such individuals. The bill also included a $500 appropriation to the Department of Justice to notify local law enforcement agencies and county attorneys about these new requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 537 proposed creating a new "birth day" tax credit for resident taxpayers in Montana upon the birth of a child. The credit would be up to $3,000, or the total of the taxpayer's Montana income taxes, federal income taxes, and FICA contributions, whichever is less. This credit would be refundable, allowing taxpayers to receive a refund even if they have no state tax liability. The credit amount would be reduced for higher-income taxpayers and capped at $1,500 in certain situations, such as for parents filing separately or unmarried parents sharing custody. If passed, it would have applied to income tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 375 revises statewide ballot issue laws. It requires the Secretary of State to conduct a poll of all legislators on statewide initiatives after their petitions are submitted. Legislators would vote to support, not support, or take no position on each initiative. The bill mandates that the summary results of this legislative poll, or the legislative referral vote for referendums, appear in the voter information pamphlet and directly on the ballot, categorized by the majority vote within each political party.

Maddy summaryThe provided bill text, labeled as SB 536, does not match the requested bill number (HB 536) or title ("Prohibit employing aliens not lawfully authorized to accept employment"). Based on the provided text for SB 536, this bill revises the contractor's gross receipts tax. It creates an exemption for resident individuals and licensed businesses that are fully compliant with state income, payroll, and property tax obligations, requiring them to apply and be listed on the department's website. The bill also extends the carryforward period for related tax credits from 5 to 7 years and allows these credits to offset certain real property taxes. It applies to accrued credit carryforwards and has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 753 proposed to revise human sexuality instruction requirements in Montana public schools. The bill mandated that if a school district offers human sexuality instruction, it must include at least one visual image of a dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion performed between 20 and 25 weeks of gestation. This measure would have directly affected public school districts, students enrolled in human sexuality courses, and their parents.

Maddy summaryHB 410 revises the laws for approving local government bond and mill levy elections, affecting how counties, cities, towns, and school districts can raise funds for various projects and services. The bill allows a simple majority vote to approve these measures if the election is held during a primary or general election in an even-numbered year. For elections held at other times, approval generally requires a majority vote along with a minimum 35% voter turnout. It also adjusts the minimum voter turnout requirements for certain elections that currently need 60% voter approval.

Maddy summaryHB 883 aims to reduce the funding for the State Supreme Court for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025. If passed alongside a general appropriations act, the bill would set the Supreme Court's appropriation at $18 million and void any other appropriations to the court. It also prohibits the transfer of funds or appropriation authority from district court functions to the Supreme Court for that biennium.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 498 aimed to prohibit the addition of fluoride to public water supply systems across the state. The bill would have amended existing state law to make introducing fluoride into a public water supply system a prohibited act. This change would have directly affected public water providers and the communities they serve by ending the practice of water fluoridation. It also sought to align the department's rule-making authority with this new prohibition.