# Montana HB 438: Establishing a board of physical, rehabilitative, and developmental healthcare professionals Montana HB 438, Establishing a board of physical, rehabilitative, and developmental healthcare professionals, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Ed Buttrey (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-05 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB438-2025 - 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 438 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Establishing a board of physical, rehabilitative, and developmental healthcare professionals - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-07 - Last action: 2025-05-05, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Ed Buttrey (Republican) - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Health Care Services, Professions and Occupations Generally, Rule Making - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (292 yes, 5 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Athletic trainers: new steps and temp license: mixed, medium. To get an athletic trainer license, you must show a CAATE-accredited degree or an accepted equivalent. You must submit at least two clinical supervisor recommendation letters and disclose any criminal convictions or discipline. The board can issue a temporary license for 90 days, or until board act… - New license rules and fees for rehab professionals: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, the new board sets who qualifies for licenses and what proof is needed. It adopts application, exam, first license, and renewal fees under state fee rules. The Department of Labor and Industry issues and renews licenses for people who meet the board’s rules. Fees and requ… - Single board oversees rehab and therapy jobs: mixed, low. The law creates one board inside the Department of Labor and Industry. It oversees athletic trainers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists. It replaces the separate old boards. Starting January 1, 2026, all licensing and oversight run through… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Ed Buttrey (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Josh Kassmier (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Sara Novak (Democrat), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-11 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 45 | 3 | | | 2025-04-10 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 48 | 2 | | | 2025-02-20 | House | Do Pass | pass | 99 | 0 | | | 2025-02-19 | House | Do Pass | pass | 100 | 0 | | ## Actions (29) - 2025-05-05: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-05-01: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-04-25: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-04-25: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-23: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-16: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-11: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-11: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-10: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-20: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-03-19: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-03-15: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-03-01: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-02-21: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-02-20: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-02-19: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-02-17: Committee Report (House) - 2025-02-14: Fiscal Note Printed (House) - 2025-02-14: Fiscal Note Signed (House) - 2025-02-14: Fiscal Note Received (House) - 2025-02-14: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-02-14: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-02-10: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-10: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-02-10: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-07: Fiscal Note Requested (House) - 2025-02-07: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=88ed29a7-b5c6-4143-a08f-956e64de3b45) - Introduced, 2025-02-07: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=4ec3da66-2390-4edb-92c4-2373099891f0) ## 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=88ed29a7-b5c6-4143-a08f-956e64de3b45) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=4ec3da66-2390-4edb-92c4-2373099891f0) ## 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-HB438-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).