# Montana HB 239: Revise laws related to construction contractors Montana HB 239, Revise laws related to construction contractors, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Morgan Thiel (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-16 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB239-2025 - 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 239 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revise laws related to construction contractors - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-16 - Last action: 2025-05-16, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Morgan Thiel (Republican) - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Labor and Employment, Revenue, State, Rule Making - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 4 (263 yes, 35 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Hiring a licensed contractor limits your risk: benefit, medium. If you hire a contractor who was licensed on the contract date, you are not treated as the employer. You are not liable for workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, or wages and fringe benefits for that contractor. This protection also covers the contractor’s employees and any subcontractors… - Prevailing wage surveys add more contractors: benefit, medium. The department now includes licensed electricians, plumbers, and construction contractors in annual wage surveys. It does this when work follows commercial building codes or is heavy or highway construction. Surveys collect pay, fringe benefits, zone pay, per diem, and travel. Results set public-wo… - Contractors must be licensed, with penalties: cost, medium. The law requires anyone doing construction contracting in Montana to hold a current state license. Applicants must give a Social Security number, proof of workers’ compensation compliance, an EIN if any, and owner or agent names and addresses. You must pay an application fee set by the department.… - More flexibility hiring independent contractors: mixed, medium. Beginning January 1, 2026, the law removes past limits on when construction contractors can hire or classify independent contractors. Contractors gain flexibility that previously tied hiring to listed trades or certificate status. Fees for independent-contractor exemption certificates go into a sta… - New fees and ID rules for home inspectors: mixed, medium. Beginning January 1, 2026, the department charges home inspectors fees set by rule for issuing, renewing, reinstating, and changes; 15% funds an industry and consumer information program. A registered inspector may not use an unregistered business name. Firms and staff must use their real name and… - Most changes start January 1, 2026: mixed, low. The law takes effect January 1, 2026. From that date, the new registration, identification, penalty, fee, and repeal rules apply. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Morgan Thiel (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Sue Vinton (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Wendy McKamey (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-22 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 38 | 12 | | | 2025-04-18 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 31 | 19 | | | 2025-02-21 | House | Do Pass | pass | 98 | 0 | | | 2025-02-20 | House | Do Pass | pass | 96 | 4 | | ## Actions (29) - 2025-05-16: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-05-12: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-05-05: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-05-02: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-05-01: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-25: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-22: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-22: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-18: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-25: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-03-25: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-03-15: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-03-03: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-02-24: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-21: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-02-21: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-02-20: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-02-12: Committee Report (House) - 2025-02-12: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-02-12: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-01-23: Fiscal Note Printed (House) - 2025-01-23: Fiscal Note Signed (House) - 2025-01-23: Fiscal Note Received (House) - 2025-01-21: Hearing (House) - 2025-01-17: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-01-17: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-01-16: Fiscal Note Requested (House) - 2025-01-16: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-23: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=00afc273-08ac-4ef7-8fa1-eb18d2b58d4f) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-02-12: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=069b716a-ab0f-4f94-b876-1dc7a25ada14) - Introduced, 2025-01-16: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=e6e9e611-8fce-432e-b1fc-e289267218df) ## 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 - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=00afc273-08ac-4ef7-8fa1-eb18d2b58d4f) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=069b716a-ab0f-4f94-b876-1dc7a25ada14) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=e6e9e611-8fce-432e-b1fc-e289267218df) ## 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-HB239-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).