Committee rejects amendment to HB 2 30 and later tables the bill

The House Health and Human Services committee considered House Bill 2 30 and an amendment (HB 2 30.001) that would preserve customer-service provisions and invest in reopening local offices of public assistance (OPAs) in rural communities.

Vice Chair Hill moved the amendment, saying it narrowed the bill to "improved customer service" measures and reopening select OPAs, particularly in communities without an OPA since 2017. Committee members discussed the proposal's scope, including reopening offices in Cut Bank, Red Lodge and Lewistown, and cited testimony from the mayor of Cut Bank.

Representative Schumer said on the record that the bill would add an "extra $3,000,000 burden to the general fund" and opposed the amendment; other members noted a potential federal match that would reduce net state cost. Representative Cunningham and Vice Chair Hill described stories of interrupted care and long waits on customer-service lines, calling the customer-service pieces "critically important." Representative Nicole said she supported parts of the customer-service language but voted no on the amendment.

The roll call on the amendment resulted in the amendment failing (the Chair announced 9 yea, 12 nay). After further discussion and a subsequent roll call on the bill, Representative (speaker 6) moved to table House Bill 2 30; the Chair called a non-debatable voice vote and directed that the bill be moved back into the committee file, effectively tabling it.

Next steps: HB 2 30 was tabled and will remain in the committee's files pending future scheduling or revisions.