# Montana HB 197: Revising workers’ compensation laws relating to when the employee is released to return to work Montana HB 197, Revising workers’ compensation laws relating to when the employee is released to return to work, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Anthony Nicastro (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-04-07 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB197-2025 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Montana HB 197 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revising workers’ compensation laws relating to when the employee is released to return to work - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-14 - Last action: 2025-04-07, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Anthony Nicastro (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Workers' Compensation - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 6 (317 yes, 180 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Doctor checks before changing disability pay: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, insurers must get a doctor’s report before switching your temporary disability payments to permanent partial disability. The doctor must say you are medically stable, list your physical limits, and confirm you can return to work based on a job analysis by a rehab provider. T… - Temporary disability pay ends on return: cost, high. Beginning July 1, 2025, insurers can stop temporary disability wage-replacement payments when a doctor releases you to full duty. The end date is the earlier of two dates: the day you return to work, or 14 days after the insurer gives you written notice. This rule applies even if you reach maximum… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Anthony Nicastro (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-20 | House | Do Concur | pass | 59 | 39 | | | 2025-03-19 | House | Do Concur | pass | 60 | 40 | | | 2025-03-17 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 35 | 14 | | | 2025-03-15 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 47 | 3 | | | 2025-01-30 | House | Do Pass | pass | 58 | 42 | | | 2025-01-29 | House | Do Pass | pass | 58 | 42 | | ## Actions (34) - 2025-04-07: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-04-07: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-04-01: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-04-01: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-03-28: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-03-21: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-03-20: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-03-20: 3rd Reading Senate Amendments (House) - 2025-03-19: 2nd Reading Senate Amendments (House) - 2025-03-17: Returned to House with Amendments (Senate) - 2025-03-17: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-15: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-01: Revised Fiscal Note Printed (House) - 2025-02-28: Revised Fiscal Note Signed (House) - 2025-02-28: Revised Fiscal Note Received (House) - 2025-02-25: Revised Fiscal Note Requested (House) - 2025-02-24: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-02-24: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-01-31: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-01-30: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-01-29: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-01-27: Committee Report (House) - 2025-01-27: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-01-24: Fiscal Note Printed (House) - 2025-01-24: Fiscal Note Signed (House) - 2025-01-24: Fiscal Note Received (House) - 2025-01-16: Hearing (House) - 2025-01-15: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-01-15: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-01-14: Fiscal Note Requested (House) - 2025-01-14: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - As Amended (Version 3), 2025-03-20: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=34f3e869-903b-410c-9f56-6fb5e1b5fabd) - Enrolled, 2025-03-20: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=7cb25c6e-7e8d-489a-8ad7-4948788b8bae) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-02-24: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=d7c14e47-2d92-4a93-b220-2ee65eb74078) - Introduced, 2025-01-14: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=bd9ebb82-2b12-4b1c-8ac9-ced52d034b23) ## Related bills - SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law (signed) - HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit (vetoed) - HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws (vetoed) - SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act (vetoed) - SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed) - SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed) ## Sources - [As Amended (Version 3) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=34f3e869-903b-410c-9f56-6fb5e1b5fabd) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=7cb25c6e-7e8d-489a-8ad7-4948788b8bae) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=d7c14e47-2d92-4a93-b220-2ee65eb74078) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=bd9ebb82-2b12-4b1c-8ac9-ced52d034b23) ## Related - [SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB437-2025) - [HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB831-2025) - [HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB628-2025) - [SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB410-2025) - [SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025) - [SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025) - [Montana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana/bills) - [Montana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB197-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).