2025 MTLeg Weekly Debrief: 2/3-2/7

The Frontier Institute has identified 5 new Key Bills and 17 Key Bill updates for the week of February 3-7

HB 336: Provide for apprenticeship programs for certain license types
Sponsor: Representative Curtis Schomer (R) HD 48
Status: Introduced
Note: HB 336 follows Frontier Institute’s recommendations to reduce apprenticeship red tape and to reform healthcare licensing to alleviate Montana’s healthcare worker shortage.

SB 243: Amend zoning regulations to allow taller buildings
Sponsor: Senator Ellie Boldman (D) SD 47
Status: Hearing scheduled 2/12 @3pm in Senate Local Government Committee
Note: SB 243 follows Frontier Institute’s recommendations to address Montana’s housing shortage by restoring Montanans’ property rights, reforming strict local zoning regulations to provide landowners more freedom to build homes to meet housing demand in cities.

SB 252: Revise land use laws related to manufactured and factory built homes
Sponsor: Senator Dave Fern (D) SD 2
Status: Introduced
Note: SB 252 follows Frontier Institute’s recommendation to ensure manufactured housing is treated no less favorably by zoning than other forms of housing.

HB 363: Generally revise laws relating to selection of public service commissioners
Sponsor: Representative Larry Brewster (R) HD 43
Status: Hearing scheduled 2/5 @3pm in House Energy, Technology and Federal Relations Committee

SB 253: Revise administrative and certification processes for student scholarship organizations
Sponsor: Senator Sue Vinton (R) SD 20
Status: Introduced
Note: Follows Frontier Institute’s recommendations for Montana to expand student access to a wide array of education options as well as providing transparency & accountability for programs.

Key Bill Updates:

SB 214: Hearing scheduled 2/10 @3pm in Senate Local Government Committee.
SB 213: Hearing scheduled 2/12 @3pm in Senate Local Government Committee.
SB 215: Hearing scheduled 2/4 @3pm in Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee.
HB 320: Hearing scheduled 1/31 @3pm in House Education Committee.
SB 40: Passed Senate floor.
HB 30: Hearing scheduled 2/10 @8am in Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 47: Failed third reading in Senate.
HB 20: Hearing scheduled 2/4 @9am in Senate Taxation Committee.
HB 153: Passed unanimously in House Education Committee.
SB 41: Passed Senate floor.
SB 15: Passed Senate floor.
SB 48: Passed Senate floor.
SB 101: Hearing scheduled 2/6 @8am in House Business and Labor Committee.
HB 250: Passed unanimously in House Education Committee
HB 251: Passed in House Education Committee.
SB 177: Passed in Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee.
HB 156: Passed House floor.

Note: Our MTLeg Weekly Debrief series is meant only to help our subscribers follow along with key legislation related to these 3 issue areas that we feel deserve extra focus. The legislation listed in each weekly update will NOT necessarily represent legislation we support or oppose. Each week’s key bill analysis represents new legislation introduced up to midnight Monday of the current week.