House advances a range of bills; lawmakers debate school mental health pilot, career‑tech funding and wolf management

The Montana House, sitting as the Committee of the Whole on the floor in Helena on Feb. 18, advanced a slate of bills on second reading and recorded final passage on several measures during third reading. Lawmakers spent extended time on proposals to fund career and technical education in middle grades (House Bill 357), create a student‑led school mental health pilot (House Bill 385) and expand tools for wolf management including extending hunting seasons and authorizing additional options for managers (House Bills 258 and 259). A proposal to restrict Fish, Wildlife & Parks from closing mule deer buck hunting during the November rifle season (House Bill 139) failed in committee.

Why it matters: The votes set the bills on a path to the Senate or, for third‑reading measures, to enrollment, and several of the debated items — school mental health grants, CTE funding and changes to wildlife management — carry programmatic and budgetary consequences that committees will consider going forward.

House Bill 357 — middle‑grade career and technical education funding Representative Brent Tillman, sponsor of House Bill 357, described the measure as “gonna have a big impact in Montana,” saying the bill would “foster innovation through the identification and promotion of promising proven career and technical education programs” and provide funding so middle‑grade students can be exposed earlier to career pathways. Representative Tillman moved the committee recommendation for a due‑pass report; the clerk recorded the committee vote 96 in favor and 4 opposed and the bill passed second reading.

House Bill 385 — school mental health promotion pilot Representative Josh Romano introduced House Bill 385 as a student‑driven solution to youth mental health needs. Romano said the proposal grew from months of student work and would create grants administered by…