AARP Montana Celebrates Legislative Gains for Older Montanans Following 2025 Legislative Session

AARP e-activists were key throughout the session, sending thousands of messages to lawmakers urging action on measures important to Montanans age 50 and over. 

The 2025 Montana Legislative Session began on January 6 and adjourned on April 30, 2025. During the session, AARP Montana reviewed dozens of bills on a wide variety of topics, testified before house and senate committees, and met with lawmakers, the Governor’s office, and key stakeholders to discuss legislation that impacts Montanans 50+.

Based on AARP Montana membership surveys and feedback, we focused our efforts this session on the renewal of the Medicaid Expansion program and on taxation issues, such as property tax relief, and attempted to eliminate and reduce Montana’s taxation of Social Security income. We also strongly advocated for caregivers and additional funding for home and community-based long-term care services, since a vast majority of AARP Montana members want to stay in their own homes and communities as they age.

Montanans 50 and over will see some very tangible gains from the 2025 session, such as: much-needed property tax relief and rebates; more housing options; an increase in funding for Montana's senior services and other community-based services that help older Montanans age in their own homes and communities.

AARP Montana wishes to thank state legislators and the Governor for their dedicated service to the state of Montana during the 2025 session.

AARP Montana’s 2025 Legislative Priorities — click on each bill title to see how your legislator voted

HB 2 – General Appropriations-Section B22-Senior & Long-Term Care (SLTC):  This was Montana's general budget bill & the Governor added-in funding for Medicaid Expansion right from the start. Outcomes: In addition to keeping all the Medicaid Expansion funding intact, we helped add a $4 million biennial increase for the Area Agencies on Aging, a 3% Medicaid provider rate increase & maintained a $500k increase for Adult Protective Services (APS). Status: Passed the House 64-34 on 4/30 & Senate 27-23 on 4/30. Awaiting the Governor’s action.

HB 245 – Revise MT HELP Act workforce development provisions & termination date: The bill was a simple permanent renewal of the existing Medicaid Expansion program. Sponsor: Rep. Buttrey. Status: Passed the House 62-37 on 2/11 & Senate 30-20 on 2/27. Signed by the Governor on 3/27. PASSED & SIGNED.

HB 231 – Revise property tax rates for certain property:  This package lowers property tax rates by 18% on average for primary residences, provides relief to renters through long-term rental incentives, and provides a $400 property tax rebate in 2025 until the new rates take effect. Companion bills include SB 542 & HB 863. Sponsor: Rep. Llew Jones. Status: Passed the House 60-39 & Senate 28-22 on 4/30, signed by the Governor on 5/15. PASSED & SIGNED.

HB 831 - Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit: Increased the maximum tax credit for eligible senior homeowners from $1,150 to $1,400. Sponsor: Rep. Nikolakakos. Status: Passed the House 78-21 on 3/31 & passed the Senate 45-5 on 4/18. Awaiting the Governor’s action.

SB 72 – Provide presumptive eligibility for Medicaid coverage of HCBS:  Allows presumptive Medicaid eligibility for low-income older and disabled Montanans, enabling faster access to home and community-based care and thereby avoiding costly nursing home placements. Sponsor: Senator Mike Yakawich. Status: Passed the Senate 44-5 on 2/24 & House 72-24 on 4/12. Awaiting the Governor’s action.

SB 532 – Revise county zoning to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs): A bill that revises county zoning laws to allow for ADUs, offering more affordable, flexible housing options for older Montanans. Sponsor: Senator Forest Manderville Status: Passed the Senate 41-7 on 4/5 & House 75-24 on 4/23, signed by the Governor on 5/15. PASSED & SIGNED.

HB 827 – Revise social security income taxation: This bill would have increased the Social Security income levels that may be taxed. Sponsor: Rep. Melody Cunningham. Status: Passed the House 78-21 on 4/10. Failed Senate 3^rd Reading 25-25 on 4/18. DEAD.


LEGISLATION SUPPORTED BY AARP MONTANA: 

HB 182 – Provide grant funding for senior citizen centers:  Created a senior center grant program of $5 million to help address maintenance & construction needs in MT senior centers. Sponsor: Rep J. Fitzpatrick. Status: Passed the House 75-24 on 2/13 & Senate 30-19 on 4/15. Vetoed by the Governor on 5/15.

HB 183 – Enact PA licensure compact:  Enabled MT to join an interstate compact for PAs to practice across state lines. Sponsor: Rep. Jodee Etchart. Status: Passed the House 98-0 on 1/28 & Senate 47-2 on 3/17. Signed by the Governor on 3/27. PASSED & SIGNED.

HB 241 – Adopt the psychology interjurisdictional compact:  Enabled MT to join an interstate compact for licensed psychologists to practice across state lines. Sponsor: Rep. Jodee Etchart. Status: Passed the House 98-1 on 1/31 & Senate 48-2 on 3/31. Signed by the Gov. on 4/16. PASSED & SIGNED.

HB 398 – Generally revise insurance laws related to prior authorization of chronic conditions: This bill set “prior authorization” guardrails around adverse decision reviewers to protect health care consumers. Status: Passed the House 90-8 on 3/20 & Senate 47-1 on 4/10, signed by the Governor on 5/5. PASSED & SIGNED.

HB 447 – Enact the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact: Another compact bill that provides more health care options for MT’s family caregivers. Sponsor: Rep. Ed Buttrey. Status: Passed the House 99-1 on 2/25 & the Senate 40-8 on 4/11, signed by the Governor on 5/5. PASSED & SIGNED.

HB 532 - Generally revise laws related to abuse, neglect, and exploitation of incapacitated persons and vulnerable adults: This bill corrected a 10-year-old mistake in MT elder abuse statutes by treating trial evidence the same for all vulnerable adults (disabled, incapacitated, & the elderly) for all three crimes (abuse, neglect, & exploitation). Status: Passed the House 99-0 on 3/4 99-0 & Senate 48-0 on 4/14, signed by the Governor on 5/8. PASSED & SIGNED.

HB 601 – Create online portal for community assisters related to Medicaid: Enabled community assister organizations to help enroll eligible Montanans into Medicaid. Sponsor: Rep. Howe. Status: Passed the House 87-17 on 3/4 & the Senate 28-22 on 4/12, signed by the Governor on 5/5. PASSED & SIGNED.

HB 607 – Provide for the hearing aid coverage act:  This bill required health insurance companies to cover hearing aids for all persons, not just for children. Sponsor: Rep. Paul Tuss. Status: Passed the House 69-29 on 3/5 & Senate 26-24 on 4/15, vetoed by the Governor on 5/5. DEAD.

HB 743 – Create reporting requirements for elder exploitation:  Required DPHHS to report the elder financial exploitation cases that they are investigating to County Prosecutors & AG to file an annual report of the cases. Sponsor: Rep. Bill Mercer. Status: Passed the House 99-0 on 3/7 & passed the Senate on 4/11, signed by the Governor on 5/8. PASSED & SIGNED.

SB 121 – Revise the land use & planning act:  Amended the comprehensive planning legislation from 2023 (which we supported) to clarify jurisdictional interactions with counties. Sponsor: Senator Forrest Mandeville. Status: Passed the Senate 50-0 on 2/14 & the House 99-1 on 4/11, signed by the Governor on 5/8. PASSED & SIGNED.

SB 296 – Enhance penalty for crime against vulnerable person:  This bill was generated through input by the Elder Justice Councils, the AG’s Office & by Adult Protective Services. Sponsor: Senator Yakawich. Status: Passed the Senate 50-0 on 3/1 & House 98-0 on 4/10, signed by the Governor on 5/8. PASSED & SIGNED.

SB 446 – Revise laws related to healthcare utilization review:  This bill strengthened MT’s health care utilization review & requires physicians to review adverse determinations & grievances. Sponsor: Senator Ricci. Status: Passed the Senate 46-3 on 3/6 & House 99-0 on 4/15, signed by the Governor on 5/15. PASSED & SIGNED.

HJ 19 – Resolution to provide for frontotemporal degeneration awareness week:  Designated a week in September as frontotemporal degeneration (a common type of dementia) awareness week. Status: Passed the House 78-21 on 3/28 & passed the Senate 34-16 on 4/22. PASSED & FILED.

HJ 26 – Study guardianships & conservatorships:  This resolution created a much-needed comprehensive study of MT’s adult guardianship system. Sponsor: Rep. Close. Status: Passed the House 70-29 on 4/1 & Senate 24-26 on 4/29. PASSED & FILED.

 
LEGISLATION OPPOSED BY AARP MONTANA:

HB 687 - Revise age of expanded Medicaid participants required to engage in community engagement activities:  This bill changed the Medicaid age cap for community engagement from 55 to 62. Sponsor: Rep. Bill Mercer. Status: Passed the House 57-42 on 3/4 & Senate 32-18 on 4/12, signed by the Governor on 5/5. LOSS.

HB 911 – Revise the meaning of the term "public utility”:  This bill would have changed the definition of what public utility means, by creating an unregulated entity to serve customers if they have a load greater than 5 MW (to serve large data centers). Sponsor: Rep. J Fitzpatrick. Status: Passed the House 61-36 on 4/8 & tabled in Senate Energy on 4/15. DEAD. 

SB 62 – Provide for phaseout of Medicaid expansion program:  A bill phasing out Medicaid expansion. Sponsor: Senator Glimm. Status: Failed 2^nd Reading 20-30 on 2/11. DEAD.

SB 119 - Repeal Incumbent Electric Utility Right of First Refusal Law: This bill would have repealed MT's competitive bidding process (ROFR) for electric utilities, potentially increasing rates for residential consumers. Sponsor: Senator Galt. Status: Tabled in Senate Energy on 2/18. DEAD.

SB 141 – Providing that the default retirement plan for legislators is the defined contribution plan through PERS:  Would have set the retirement system default for newly elected legislators from a defined benefit to a defined contribution system. Sponsor: Senator Mandeville. Status: Tabled in the Senate State Administration Committee on 2/21. DEAD.    

SB 199 – Revise the Medicaid expansion program:  A bill intended to weaken MT’s Medicaid expansion program. Sponsor: Senator Trebas. Status: Failed Senate 2^nd Reading 23-27 on 2/12. DEAD.

SB 204 – Sunset or reapprove existing voter approved property tax levies:  Would have imposed a 10 year “sunset” on local mill levies. AARP opposed it due to the very significant impact it would have on MT’s senior services. Status: Failed 2^nd Senate Reading 24-26 on 3/4. DEAD.

SB 301 – Generally revise utility lines and facilities laws:  This bill would have fast-tracked electric utility transmission cost recovery outside of the normal regulatory review. AARP submitted written testimony in opposition. The Senate Energy Committee took many of our suggestions and removed the negative impacts to residential rate payers. Sponsor: Senator Daniel Zolnikov.  Status: Passed the Senate 50-0 on 3/27 & House 97-0 on 4/15, signed by the Gov. on 5/15. Bill modified. 

SB 334 - Providing Medicaid expansion to able-bodied adults who comply with community engagement requirements:  This is the President of the Senate’s bill intended to bring the Medicaid expansion coverage threshold down from 138% of the FPL to only 100%. Sponsor: Senator Regier.  Status: Failed Senate 2^nd Reading 24-26 on 3/6. DEAD.


LEGISLATION SUPPORTED BY AARP MONTANA THAT WAS DEFEATED: 

HB 148 – Repeal state tax on Social Security income:  This bill would have repealed MT’s taxation of Social Security income altogether. Sponsor: Rep. Marshall. Status: Passed House 2^nd Reading 53-46 on 2/3, but tabled by House Appropriations on 2/11. DEAD.

HB 230 – Generally revise Medicaid laws: This Medicaid Expansion renewal bill would have greatly improved access to benefits & mandated continuous eligibility. Sponsor: Rep. Caferro. Status: Tabled in the House Human Services Committee on 1/28. DEAD.

HB 386 – Revise laws related to continuous Medicaid eligibility: This bill would have directed DPHHS to apply for reinstatement of continuous eligibility for Medicaid coverage. Sponsor: Rep. Howell. Status: Passed House 2^nd Reading 53-47 on 2/21. Tabled in House Appropriations on 2/24. DEAD.

HB 526 - Adopt the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse license compact: This bill would have allowed MT to join an interstate compact for APRNs to practice across state lines. Sponsor: Rep. Amy Regier. Status: Failed House 2^nd Reading 44-55 on 3/4. DEAD. 

HB 765 – Reestablish “working interdisciplinary network of guardianship stakeholders” (WINGs):  Would have created an interdisciplinary “WINGS” group to review adult guardianship policy & administration. The original bill was passed by AARP MT in 2017 but sunset in 2021. Sponsor: Rep. Close. Status: Passed the House 78-21 on 3/7. Tabled in Senate Public Health on 4/7. DEAD.

HB 777 – Generally revise guardian and conservator laws:  A bill that would have replicated 2 sections of the Uniform Guardianship Act in MT. Sponsor: Rep. Close. Status: Tabled in House Judiciary on 3/4. DEAD.

SB 100 – Revise funding for assisted living services:  This 2023 Session-inspired bill would have created a process where Assisted Living facility rates were calculated & adjusted eliminating waiting lists. Sponsor: Senator Beard. Status: Passed Senate 2^nd Reading 32-18 on 2/20. Tabled on a vote of 11-11 in the Senate Finance Committee on 2/26. DEAD.

SB 266 – Revise municipal zoning to allow for triplex and fourplex housing: Sponsor: Senator Trebas. Status: Passed the Senate 33-17 on 3/3. Tabled by the House Local Government Committee on 4/8. DEAD. 

SB 325 - Creating the family and medical leave act:  Would have created a paid caregiver leave program. Sponsor: Senator Derek Harvey. Status: Tabled by the Senate Business Committee on 2/21. DEAD.

SB 438 – Revise telehealth and telemedicine laws:  Would have made a licensure exception for out-of-state health care providers. Sponsor: Senator Zolnikov. Status: Tabled by the Senate Business on 3/4. DEAD.

For a full list of the bills AARP Montana supported and opposed, please send an email to mtaarp@aarp.org.