# Montana HB 261: Providing for procedural rule making authority to the department of labor and industry Montana HB 261, Providing for procedural rule making authority to the department of labor and industry, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Brian Close (Democrat); status signed, last action 2025-04-18 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB261-2025 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Montana HB 261 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Providing for procedural rule making authority to the department of labor and industry - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-20 - Last action: 2025-04-18, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Brian Close (Democrat) - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Rule Making, Labor and Employment - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (285 yes, 13 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Faster licenses and clearer timelines: benefit, low. The department must issue routine licenses within 45 days of a completed application. Within 10 calendar days, it must tell you what is missing or explain any urgent delay. For nonroutine licenses, the department and your board must give you an expected timeline and tell you if it changes. The depa… - One-time charge on board licensees: cost, low. The department may add a one-time charge to every licensee of a board that needs cost recovery. It must give notice and follow state rulemaking steps before charging the fee. - Stronger investigations and standard hearing rules: mixed, low. The department investigates complaints of illegal or unethical conduct by licensed professionals. If a board’s screening panel finds reasonable cause, the department must notify and pursue action against the licensee before that board. The department sets the same hearing and public notice rules fo… - Board records and meetings in Helena: mixed, low. The department keeps all official board records in Helena. It provides meeting, hearing, and exam space in Helena, and elsewhere in the state if a board asks. This centralizes access but may add travel for some. - Licensing fees, renewals, and cash caps: mixed, low. The department can set administrative fees and choose license expiration, renewal, and end dates by rule. It charges boards for the cost of support services, which boards may cover through their fees. Service fees must match the cost of the service, but late penalties do not have to match cost. If… - Steps when a board isn't cost-effective: mixed, low. If a board cannot operate cost-effectively, the department must notify the board and the legislative interim committee. It may pause all other board duties under this title, but license renewals continue. The department must review whether the board is needed and recommend changes to improve its fi… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Brian Close (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: Gregg Hunter (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Josh Kassmier (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-31 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 45 | 5 | | | 2025-03-28 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 48 | 2 | | | 2025-02-03 | House | Do Pass | pass | 94 | 5 | | | 2025-01-31 | House | Do Pass | pass | 98 | 1 | | ## Actions (23) - 2025-04-18: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-04-17: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-04-09: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-04-09: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-02: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-03-31: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-03-31: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-28: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-20: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-03-19: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-02-21: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-02-04: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-02-03: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-01-31: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-01-28: Committee Report (House) - 2025-01-28: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-01-23: Hearing (House) - 2025-01-20: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-01-20: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-01-20: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1fa480c1-61dd-4519-b8de-aae57ab94d2c) - Introduced, 2025-01-20: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=85607d1d-a26b-4e15-ab38-3326bf7c4ee5) ## 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 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed) - SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed) ## Sources - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1fa480c1-61dd-4519-b8de-aae57ab94d2c) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=85607d1d-a26b-4e15-ab38-3326bf7c4ee5) ## 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 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025) - [SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025) - [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-HB261-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).