Committee hears bill to fund traumatic brain injury services; sponsor proposes $1 opt-out registration donation

The Montana House Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday heard House Bill 341, sponsored by Representative Butchery, which would appropriate seed funding and create a $1 opt-out donation on motor vehicle registrations to fund education, prevention and recovery supports for people with traumatic brain injuries.

The bill would direct a one-time appropriation of $600,000 from the existing traumatic brain injury account to the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) for activities that include education, recovery support for individuals and families and support for the existing traumatic brain injury advisory council, Representative Butchery said. Ongoing funding would come from a $1 opt-out donation on vehicle registrations, and county treasurers would be required to post signage explaining the donation and the ability to opt out, he said.

Proponents said the bill would expand the scope of the state’s current TBI funding from advisory work and public information to hands-on recovery services. “This bill is well worth the wait,” Representative Butchery said in his opening. Abigail St. Lawrence, who testified as a proponent and described her own stroke and subsequent TBI, urged committee members to support the education and recovery elements in the bill. “With the special account in House Bill 341, we hope to give individuals and families with TBIs strength,” St. Lawrence said.

Speakers representing nonprofit and health organizations also urged a do-pass recommendation. Jennifer Hensley, speaking both as an individual and on behalf of Ability Montana, described gaps in services across the state and praised St. Lawrence’s recovery. Matt Kuntz, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Montana, said NAMI’s ability to refer people to TBI-specific programs would improve with the council and funding in place. Drew Cziok, government relations director for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, and Cynthia Wolken of PacificSource said their organizations supported the bill’s goals of prevention and recovery.

Certified brain injury specialist Ann Geiger cited statewide trauma reports to describe the scale of the problem. She told the committee that the 2020 Montana EMS Trauma Systems and Injury Prevention report recorded 370 deaths caused by brain injury and 4,227 nonfatal brain injuries; she said 2023 showed similar numbers and that traffic accidents were a leading cause.

Committee members asked about the opt-out mechanism. Representative Zephyr asked whether the sponsor had data on how opt-out collections compare with opt-in; Butchery said he did not have specific numbers but expected opt-out mechanisms to raise more revenue because they require action to opt out rather than opt in. “I normally wouldn’t support something that was an opt out,” he said, “but this is such a worthwhile cause.”

DPHHS informational witness Denise Brunette said the advisory council has existed since about 2003 and that increased funding would likely expand outreach, collaboration, education and prevention. The sponsor and witnesses described the proposed changes as an expansion of the program’s scope to include direct recovery supports in addition to education and the advisory council’s work.

The hearing closed with no committee vote recorded. Representative Butchery closed by urging members to “vote green” and the committee chair closed the hearing on House Bill 341.

Ending: The committee did not take executive action on HB 341 during the hearing. The bill’s next step will depend on any further committee consideration or referral; no formal vote or amendment was recorded at the conclusion of the hearing.