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MontanaSB 56069th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)SenateWALLET

Provide for a hospital community benefit fee

Sponsored By: Matt Regier (Republican)

Became Law

Health Care ServicesTaxation (Generally)Revenue, StateRule MakingTaxation--Property

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Hospitals must offer clear financial help

Nonprofit hospitals must keep written financial assistance and community benefit policies that follow federal and state standards. They must follow these policies and make them public. Hospitals, including critical access and rural emergency hospitals, must not treat patients differently based on ability to pay. This protection applies to Medicaid, Medicare, and uninsured patients. By July 1, 2024, the state adopts rules that define these standards and set penalties for not following them.

Fee when hospital benefits fall short

Each nonprofit hospital must provide total community benefit that is higher than its prior‑year potential property tax liability. The state totals net community benefit expenses, net community building expenses, and bad debt plus Medicare shortfall from Schedule H. The Department of Revenue supplies the prior‑year potential property tax number. If the hospital’s community benefit is lower, the state charges a fee equal to the difference.

Standardized hospital charity care reporting

Nonprofit hospitals must send the state a copy of IRS Form 990 Schedule H within 30 days after filing with the IRS. They must report detailed charity care and community benefit amounts for the most recent tax year. The Department of Revenue calculates each hospital’s prior‑year potential property tax, treating exempt hospital property like class four commercial property and using prior‑year taxable values and mills. The state excludes properties the hospital already pays tax on and combines amounts across counties into one statement. Revenue also sets a process so hospitals can dispute the property values used in this calculation.

More funding for rural critical hospitals

Fees collected from hospital shortfalls go into a state special revenue account. The health department must pay this money each year by June 30. Payments go to critical access hospitals that are not affiliated with another hospital. The state pays on a per‑bed basis.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Matt Regier

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 297 • No: 94

Senate vote • 4/29/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 50 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/28/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 48 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/24/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 72 • No: 28

Senate vote • 4/23/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 67 • No: 32

Senate vote • 4/5/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 30 • No: 18

Senate vote • 4/4/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 30 • No: 16

Actions Timeline

  1. Chapter Number Assigned

    5/19/2025Senate

  2. Signed by Governor

    5/13/2025Senate

  3. Transmitted to Governor

    5/5/2025Senate

  4. Signed by Speaker

    5/5/2025House

  5. Signed by President

    5/2/2025Senate

  6. Returned from Enrolling

    5/1/2025Senate

  7. Sent to Enrolling

    4/29/2025Senate

  8. 3rd Reading Passed as Amended by House

    4/29/2025Senate

  9. 2nd Reading House Amendments Concurred

    4/28/2025Senate

  10. Returned to Senate with Amendments

    4/24/2025House

  11. 3rd Reading Concurred

    4/24/2025House

  12. 2nd Reading Concurred

    4/23/2025House

  13. Committee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended

    4/18/2025House

  14. Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred as Amended

    4/17/2025House

  15. Tabled in Committee

    4/17/2025House

  16. Fiscal Note Printed

    4/11/2025Senate

  17. Fiscal Note Signed

    4/10/2025Senate

  18. Fiscal Note Received

    4/9/2025Senate

  19. Hearing

    4/7/2025House

  20. First Reading

    4/7/2025House

  21. Referred to Committee

    4/7/2025House

  22. Transmitted to House

    4/5/2025Senate

  23. 3rd Reading Passed

    4/5/2025Senate

  24. 2nd Reading Passed

    4/4/2025Senate

  25. Committee Report--Bill Passed

    4/3/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • Enrolled

    4/29/2025

    PDF

  • As Amended (Version 2)

    4/18/2025

    PDF

  • Introduced

    3/31/2025

    PDF

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