# Montana HB 656: Revising the fund structure and use of employment security account Montana HB 656, Revising the fund structure and use of employment security account, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Ken Walsh (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-05 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB656-2025 - 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 656 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revising the fund structure and use of employment security account - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-21 - Last action: 2025-05-05, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Ken Walsh (Republican) - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: State Finance, Labor and Employment, Discrimination - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (295 yes, 3 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Limits on ESA transfers protect services: benefit, medium. The law limits transfers from the employment security account to the unemployment insurance fund. The budget director must approve any transfer. A transfer cannot drop the account below the amount the legislature set for listed employment services. Sections 6 and 12 of Chapter 435, Laws of 2009, re… - More ESA funding for training and reentry: benefit, medium. The law lets the Department of Labor and Industry use the employment security account to run education and reentry programs. It can also pay to administer the Office of Community Service. It can fund enforcing anti-discrimination laws through the Commission for Human Rights. This supports training,… - Community Service Office moves to Labor: benefit, low. The law moves the Office of Community Service into the Department of Labor and Industry. The governor appoints the director after consulting the commission, and the director serves at the governor’s pleasure. The director must plan and coordinate programs, apply for grants, and ensure funds are use… - ESA can pay revenue bond debt: mixed, low. The law allows the state to use employment security account money to pay principal, interest, and redemption premiums on 2009 employment security revenue bonds. This helps make bond payments on time. It can also leave less money for other employment services. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Ken Walsh (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Josh Kassmier (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Willis Curdy (Democrat), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-15 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-04-14 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-03-07 | House | Do Pass | pass | 98 | 1 | | | 2025-03-05 | House | Do Pass | pass | 97 | 2 | | ## Actions (33) - 2025-05-05: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-05-01: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-04-24: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-04-24: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-23: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-18: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-15: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-15: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-14: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-26: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-03-26: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-03-19: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-03-17: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-03-14: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-03-07: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-03-05: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-02-28: Committee Report (House) - 2025-02-28: Fiscal Note Printed (House) - 2025-02-28: Fiscal Note Signed (House) - 2025-02-28: Fiscal Note Received (House) - 2025-02-27: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-02-26: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-26: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-25: Rereferred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-25: Hearing Canceled (House) - 2025-02-24: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-24: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-22: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-02-22: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-22: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-21: Fiscal Note Requested (House) - 2025-02-21: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-16: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=bf76d2b8-2d90-4003-a2f5-9a401554c7af) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-02-28: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1544e1f3-873b-44b5-a6d6-0c9c8d63f4ca) - Introduced, 2025-02-21: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=c5f85a73-8fc0-4a72-a123-63a044e45bb8) ## 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=bf76d2b8-2d90-4003-a2f5-9a401554c7af) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1544e1f3-873b-44b5-a6d6-0c9c8d63f4ca) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=c5f85a73-8fc0-4a72-a123-63a044e45bb8) ## 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-HB656-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).