MTLeg Weekly Debrief: Week Of Feb 6-10
The Frontier Institute has identified five new Key Bills, ten Red Tape Relief Bills passing floor votes and thirteen Key Bill Updates for the week of January 6th-10th
SB 245 follows Frontier Institute’s recommendation to give landowners in Montana cities more freedom to build denser starter homes to address the housing crisis. This bill restores the right of Montanans to build multifamily or mixed-use housing in existing commercial or retail zones. SB 245 will help keep new development closer to city centers instead of sprawling out into the rural areas and ranch land surrounding cities.
Current Status: Senate Local Government Committee hearing scheduled for February 8th at 3:00PM
SB 273 allows state medical savings accounts to be used to pay for Direct Primary Care (DPC) memberships, classifying DPC as an eligible expense. Frontier Institute championed SB 101 from 2021 to authorize DPC in Montana. SB 273 follows Frontier Institute’s recommendations to encourage the expansion of DPC in Montana and to ensure that DPC is not regulated as an insurance plan.
Current Status: Referred to Senate Taxation Committee
HB 393 follows Frontier Institute recommendations to expand education options for Montana parents and students. This bill would create Montana’s first Education Savings Account (ESA) for children who have a disability. ESAs are a program that allows parents to direct their student’s share of public education dollars to pay for a variety of educational options.
Current Status: House Education Committee hearing scheduled for February 15th at 3:00PM
HB 408 follows Frontier Institute’s recommendations to expand education options for Montana students. This is the third bill introduced this session that aims to increase the tax credit funding cap for student scholarship organizations and the innovative education program. In addition to increasing the tax credit cap, this bill also aims to update how schools can use innovative education funds and it places a limit on the total amount a school can receive so that other schools may benefit from the program.
Current Status: House Taxation Committee hearing scheduled for February 9th at 9:00AM
HB 409 requires Montana to automatically recognize a license for advanced practice registered nurses from another state in the Advanced Practice Nurse Interstate Compact. Frontier Institute has recommended that the legislature go even farther, making the pandemic model of universal licensure recognition permanent.
Current Status: Referred to House Human Services Committee
- 13 Bill hearings scheduled
- 2 Bill drafts in assembly
- 18 Bills Passed Senate Committee
- 4 Bills Passed House Committee
- 2 Bills Passed House Floor
- 8 Bills Passed Senate Floor
To track the status of all of these Red Tape Relief Bills CLICK HERE.
Key Bill Updates:
HB 101: Referred to Senate Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs Committee.
HB 152: Amendments available.
SB 112: Passed Senate floor vote. Transmitted to the House.
HB 191: Tabled in Committee.
SB 201: Passed Senate Judiciary Committee vote.
SB 200: Senate State Administration Committee hearing scheduled for Feb 8th.
HB 294: Bill withdrawn.
SB 178: Senate Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs Committee hearing held on Feb 2nd.
HB 324: House Local Government Committee hearing scheduled for Feb 9th at 3:00PM.
HB 313: House Business and Labor Committee hearing held on Feb 3rd.
SB 214: Passed 3rd Senate reading.
SB 227: Amendments available.
HB 326: Transmitted to the Senate.