MontanaHB 66969th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)HouseWALLET

Revise laws related to educating children receiving in-state inpatient treatment of serious emotional disturbances

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Backup schooling when facilities do not teach

Beginning July 1, 2025, if a qualifying facility will not provide appropriate schooling or will not sign a contract, OPI must ensure schooling another way. OPI may provide the program itself and the child’s home district must reimburse OPI at the district’s daily share, or OPI may arrange for the district where the facility sits to run the program. When the local district runs it, payments follow the same rules used for out‑of‑district attendance agreements. Children served under these backup methods do not also use the separate facility‑contract funding, which prevents double payments.

State and district pay for facility schooling

Beginning July 1, 2025, the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) contracts with in-state treatment facilities to provide schooling for eligible children. OPI sets a per-child daily education rate based on documented school costs and excludes anything paid by insurance or other programs. The child’s home school district pays a daily share equal to 40% of the tuition per‑ANB amount, divided by 180, and OPI sets how districts calculate and send payments. The state pays the rest of the daily rate to the facility. Facilities may not charge families extra education fees and must send regular progress reports on each child.

Montana kids get in-state treatment priority

Beginning July 1, 2025, in-state facilities that treat serious emotional disturbances must give Montana residents priority for inpatient treatment slots. This applies to children’s psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment facilities, and therapeutic group homes.

OPI rules and funding to run program

Beginning July 1, 2025, OPI writes rules that explain how tuition is calculated, how funds are distributed, and who is responsible among facilities and schools. Money districts receive for these services goes into the miscellaneous programs fund and is not subject to the usual district budget caps. OPI must include funding for these payments in its budget and, if money is short, must request a supplemental appropriation in the second year of the biennium.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

David Bedey
Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 310 • No: 86

Senate vote • 4/23/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 33 • No: 17

Senate vote • 4/22/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 28 • No: 21

Senate vote • 4/17/2025

Take HB 669 from Comm-Windy Boy

Yes: 26 • No: 23

Senate vote • 4/16/2025

Take HB 669 from Comm-Windy Boy

Yes: 25 • No: 25

House vote • 3/7/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 99 • No: 0

House vote • 3/5/2025