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Bill to separate homeschool law from nonpublic-school rules advances on bipartisan support in committee hearing
Summary
House Bill 778 would separate homeschool statutes from nonpublic-school provisions, remove a county-superintendent immunization-record requirement for homeschoolers and drop an outdated building-code requirement for homeschool locations. Proponents said the changes are clarifying and protect medical privacy; no opponents appeared in committee.
Representative Randon Gregg introduced House Bill 778, describing it as a clarification that separates nonpublic (private) school provisions from homeschool-specific sections of law so that home educators are not regulated under rules intended for institutions.
"This change about clarity and fairness, providing home educators the legal distinctions they've long needed," Representative Gregg said, adding the bill removes a requirement that homeschoolers provide immunization records to county superintendents and removes a provision treating homes as if they were commercial school buildings.
Proponents included Steve White of the Montana Coalition of Home Educators, Kevin Boden (Homeschool Legal Defense Association), Lance Melton (Montana School Boards Association), Trish Schreiber (Frontier Institute) and multiple homeschool parents who testified in support. Kevin Boden offered a national perspective, noting many states do not require county-level immunization reporting for homeschoolers. Several proponents said the changes would align state law with current medical-privacy expectations and could encourage more homeschoolers to register with county superintendents by removing a perceived privacy burden.
No opponents or informational witnesses appeared in committee testimony for HB778 at this session. Representative Gregg closed the hearing and urged a due pass vote; the committee chair closed the hearing and noted HB778 had previously been acted upon favorably in earlier committee action.
The committee did not take final action on HB778 during this session; the hearing record closed with sponsor remarks.
