AARP Montana Sets Legislative Priorities for 2025 Session

Association to fight for issues critical to Montanans 50+ during 2025 session; Members urged to ask their legislators to support AARP’s agenda

 Montana's 2025 legislative session kicks-off on January 6 and many newly-elected legislators will meet at the capitol in Helena to consider new laws and develop a two-year state budget. AARP Montana, one of the state's largest membership organizations, representing the most active voting demographic, has crucial issues it wants lawmakers to act on -- among them property tax relief, renewal of Montana’s expanded Medicaid health coverage program, and other tax relief policies.

 "We know from polls and surveys that issues such as taxes, healthcare, caregiving, financial security and independent living are key concerns to older Montanans," said Tim Summers, AARP Montana State Director. "We also know that older Montanans across the state want their elected officials to address these issues."

AARP Montana based its legislative agenda on surveys of AARP members, input from Montana stakeholders, its national policies which are determined by a volunteer board and issues that AARP Montana worked on in past legislative sessions.

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According to a recent poll released in September 2024, an overwhelming majority of Montanans age 50+ want state legislators to offer tax relief. Specifically:

• Ninety-five percent of Montana voters 50+ support the state legislature providing lasting property tax relief that would make it easier for older Montanans to remain in their homes as they age.
  

Other key takeaways from the poll among voters 50 and older include:

• Three quarters of Montana voters 50+ favor renewing the Medicaid expansion program before it ends next June. This includes support from 64% of Republicans 50+.
• Seventy-four percent also support Montana funding a state tax credit to help with out-of-pocket expenses for unpaid family caregivers taking care of aging loved ones.

“These results not only support our advocacy and outreach efforts on legislative priorities, but they become extremely critical for community leaders throughout Montana,” said Summers. “As officials make public policy decisions that impact the lives of all Montanans, it’s essential for them to have reliable research results that accurately gauge public opinion." 

AARP Montana recently released its 2025 legislative agenda that zeroes in on the key concerns of the state's 50+ population. AARP Montana based its legislative agenda on surveys of AARP members, input from Montana stakeholders, its national policies which are determined by a volunteer board and issues that AARP Montana worked on in past legislative sessions. 

“Older Montanans, especially those over age 65, are projected to be a larger portion of our state’s population,” said Summers. “Policymakers need to plan for this shift in demographics by enhancing services and infrastructure in our communities so Montanans can continue to be independent, engaged and productive members of our state.”

Supporting Tax Relief Measures for Older Montanans

Retired Montanans pay their fair share of taxes, including property taxes and taxes on other forms of retirement income like pensions and 401ks and Social Security income. They have long contributed to making Montana’s economy strong and continue to do so. 

Supporting Family Caregivers & Strengthen Home Care Services

Approximately 112,000 Montana family caregivers provide an estimated 105 million hours of care — worth a staggering $1.76 billion of unpaid care to support loved ones who need help to live independently. Additionally, an overwhelming majority of Montanans want to stay in their homes and communities as they age. AARP urges lawmakers to:

• Update Montana’s long-term care system policies and funding structures to better reflect the realities and needs of a rapidly aging state.
• Help family caregivers to manage their loved one’s personal or financial decisions by improving Montana’s adult guardianship and conservatorship laws.
• Consider providing a caregiver tax credit.
   

Strengthening Financial Resilience for 50+ Montanans

• Protect Montana’s state pension system. If changes are needed, they should be fiscally responsible and should protect both the long-term viability of existing defined benefit plans and the financial security of retirees. 

Fighting Elder Abuse and Fraud

• Increase funding for Adult Protective Services (APS).
• Strengthen civil and criminal penalties for fraud and financial exploitation. 

“AARP Montana is the voice of 50+ Montanans at the State Capitol. Our advocacy efforts during the legislative session are effective because of state-wide volunteer grassroots efforts,” said Summers. “This was proven in previous sessions when Montanans all across the state made their voices heard and ultimately made the positive difference. This session we are asking AARP Montana members to contact their legislators early and often.” 

AARP is urging Montanans to ask their legislators to support the 50+ population and critical aging issues by supporting the AARP Montana 2025 legislative agenda. Montanans can contact their legislators during session via phone at 406-444-4800.

AARP members are encouraged to sign up online to stay informed on issues throughout the 2025 session and to become an e-activist at www.aarp.org/getinvolved.

AARP commissioned the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward (R) and David Binder Research (D) to conduct a survey of voters in Montana. The firms interviewed 1,064 likely voters, which includes a statewide representative sample of 600 likely voters, an oversample of 464 likely voters ages 50 and older. The survey was done between August 25-29, 2024 and released in September, 2024. The interviews were conducted via live interviewer on landline (25%) and cellphone (35%), as well as SMS-to-web (40%). The sample was randomly drawn from the Montana voter list. The margin of sampling error at the 95% confidence level for the 600 statewide sample is ±4.0%; for the 800 total sample of voters 50+ is ±3.5%. 

View the full survey results at aarp.org/MTpolling

See AARP Montana's 2023 legislative priorities and 2023 post session Legislative Round-up here >>