Sen. Dennis Lenz

Maddy summarySB 467 revises Montana's child care laws to streamline regulations and protect privacy. It requires child care providers to keep children's information confidential and removes mandatory inspections and training requirements previously handled by local health authorities. The bill updates definitions for terms like "family day-care home" and "school-age care" to clarify standards. These changes aim to improve access to quality child care for working families, particularly mothers, while affirming parental rights over child care decisions.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution (SJ 32) requests an interim study to examine how to revive Montana's Citizen Review Board Program for child protective services. The study will analyze funding options, administrative needs, coordination between local and tribal governments, and how review boards might reduce court involvement while improving child protection system practices. It specifically aims to assess cost savings, equity in services, and recommendations for statewide standards. The findings must be reported to the 70th Legislature by September 2026. (Note: This is a procedural resolution requesting a study, not a law creating new policy.)

Maddy summaryThis resolution requests an interim study to examine ways to support home-based and family child care providers in Montana, particularly in rural areas where families struggle to access licensed options. The study will focus on streamlining licensure processes, removing barriers to care, and creating sustainable models for providers. It directly affects rural families seeking child care and home-based providers who face regulatory challenges. The committee must report findings to the 70th Legislature by September 2026. (Note: This is a procedural resolution requesting a study, not a bill with immediate policy changes.)

Maddy summarySB 216 creates Montana's Physicians' Workforce Investment Act, establishing a task force to administer grants for health sector facilities (like hospitals) to launch or expand residency and fellowship programs. The grant program provides up to $2 million per facility to support new graduate medical education programs, requiring applicants to submit accreditation plans, 2-year financial projections, and 5-year sustainability strategies. This directly affects Montana hospitals seeking to train medical graduates (those with medical degrees but without residency completion) and aims to address physician shortages by increasing training opportunities. The task force must report annually on grant usage, program locations, specialty fields, and accreditation status to the legislature.

Maddy summarySB 463 revises Montana's laws on reporting child abuse and neglect. It revises the definition and certification requirements for Public Safety Communications Officers (PSOs), allowing them to receive such reports directly. The bill also updates intake procedures for these reports to streamline the process. This change affects how reports are handled, designating PSOs as a designated point of contact for child abuse and neglect reports under revised law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJ 34) is a joint resolution requesting an interim study on Montana's child care system. It directs a committee to examine barriers affecting parents' access to affordable, quality child care and challenges faced by day-care providers, including licensing, regulations, and workforce issues. The study will analyze Montana's policies compared to neighboring states, review relevant data, and propose changes to improve child care availability and affordability. The committee must complete its work by September 15, 2026, and report findings to the 70th Legislature. This resolution does not enact new laws but seeks to inform future policy decisions.

Maddy summarySB 401 prohibits Montana state agencies from creating new definitions in administrative rules when existing statutory definitions already cover the same subject. It requires agencies to cite existing statutory definitions instead of adopting new ones, and mandates that agencies propose new definitions through legislative bills (to be submitted to interim committees) rather than via rulemaking. This directly affects state agencies that draft regulations, shifting authority over definitions from agencies to the legislature. The bill was introduced in 2025 but died in process on May 23, 2025, after being tabled in committee and missing deadlines. Its key provision would have required agencies to remove existing definitions from rules and reference statutes, with new definitions only allowed for clarification after legislative proposal.

Maddy summarySB 250 would revise Montana's Office of the Child and Family Ombudsman by adding specific staff positions (two intake specialists, two associate ombudsmen, and two research analysts) and expanding its duties. It requires the ombudsman to provide timely responses to requests, actively assist individuals with unresolved issues, and forward misconduct reports to the Department of Justice or the relevant agency. The bill also mandates the ombudsman to issue twice-yearly systemic recommendations about child protection practices to the Department of Public Health and Human Services, which must respond within 60 days. These changes aim to strengthen oversight of child protection cases and departmental procedures.

Maddy summarySB 469 would revise Montana's mental health service structure by updating rules for local "service area authorities" that manage community mental health programs. It requires the state Department of Mental Health to provide each service area authority with an annual contract covering administrative costs, crisis services, and community events, while also supporting at least three such authorities. The bill mandates that service area boards be led by majority consumer/family members, establishes new reporting requirements, and removes unfunded mandates requiring local governments to cover costs without state funding. This directly affects local mental health providers, county governments, and communities receiving mental health services across Montana.

Maddy summaryMontana's SJ 31 is a joint resolution requesting an interim study of the state's mandatory child abuse and neglect reporting system. It directs a committee to examine how to improve training for mandatory reporters (like teachers and healthcare workers), reduce unnecessary investigations, and explore alternative support services instead of automatic reporting. The study will focus on distinguishing when to report versus provide resources, minimizing reports based on reporter discomfort or bias, and identifying prevention-focused alternatives. The goal is to better protect children while reducing stigma and resource strain on families and the Child and Family Services Division. The study was scheduled to conclude by September 2026, with findings to be reported to the 70th Legislature.