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Panel backs stripping codified board seals from licensing statutes to save staff time
Summary
Senate Bill 227 would remove statutorily listed manual seals for occupational licensing boards and allow the state seal and digital application instead; Department of Labor leaders said the change would streamline licensing work and free staff time.
Sen. Wendy McKamey presented Senate Bill 227 to remove 14 manual seals currently codified in Montana's Title 37 licensing chapters and replace them with the state's official seal, which proponents said can be applied digitally.
"We'd like to eliminate the seals," Commissioner Sarah Swanson told the committee, arguing the Department of Labor and Industry is licensing more people with less staff and that maintaining separate manual seals wastes capacity. Kevin Bragg, bureau chief for professional licensing, demonstrated sample seals and said removal would not change boards' rulemaking authority.
Proponents said the change is largely administrative and intended to address inaccuracies and redundant statutory language. Amanda Frickle of the Montana AFL-CIO called it "a good bill" that breaks licensure reform into manageable pieces. Committee members asked where the physical seals would go and whether removing them would affect board authority; Department staff said disposition would follow state excess-property rules and that board rulemaking authority remains intact.
The committee heard no opponents and left the bill to advance through the regular process for amendment and executive action.
