Senate Finance and Claims advances HB245 and SB50 after fiscal-note hearings; several bills concurred or passed

The Senate Finance and Claims Committee met to examine fiscal notes and move several bills forward, hearing detailed cost assumptions for House Bill 245 and Senate Bill 50 before taking executive action that advanced six measures.

Representative Ed Butchery, sponsor of House Bill 245, told the committee the bill removes a requirement to contract out employment services under the HELP Act and instead tasks the Department of Labor to provide those services directly. "The Department of Labor, with passage of 2 45, will serve clients directly through the agency's 18 job service offices," he said, and told members the fiscal note assumes "an additional $125,000 per year in state special revenue authority" to serve additional clients.

Business and nonprofit groups supported the measure. Todd O'Hair, president and CEO of the Montana Chamber of Commerce, said workforce shortages make upskilling critical and described the bill's modest fee and training elements as important to employers. Matt Kuntz, executive director of NAMI Montana, also voiced support for shifting services to state labor offices.

The committee also…