Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Homeschooling topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances bill separating homeschool and nonpublic rules, removing some county-level record requirements
Summary
House Bill 778 would separate statutory language for homeschools and nonpublic schools, remove county-superintendent storage of immunization records and drop certain building-code references for homeschools; proponents said the change protects family privacy and aligns state law with HIPAA-era expectations.
Rep. Randon Greg said House Bill 778 clarifies Montana code by distinguishing homeschools from nonpublic schools, removing outdated references that allowed county superintendents to request and store immunization records and eliminating a requirement that homeschools meet building-code standards applicable to institutional settings.
Proponents included the Montana Coalition of Home Educators, the Montana School Boards Association and multiple homeschool parents who said the change protects family medical privacy and aligns state law with HIPAA-era safeguards. Steve White, legislative liaison for the Montana Coalition of Home Educators, described examples — including past requests for medical records and a county superintendent’s exploration of building-inspection approaches — that proponents said showed uneven and sometimes intrusive enforcement.
Opponents were scarce at the hearing; witnesses and written testimony said the bill is largely cleanup and harmonizes state law with current practice. Backers urged the committee to pass the bill to reduce confusion and the risk that county offices store confidential medical information.
What’s next: The committee advanced HB 778 to the House floor by voice vote. Further floor debate could clarify any implementation details but sponsors said the bill is intended as a statutory cleanup rather than new substantive policy.
