HB516 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Move workers' compensation court to judicial branch.

What is the status of HB516?

Signed into law as of May 19, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 19, 2025).

Walsh, Ken (R, 69), with 1 co-sponsor.

Where is the official record for HB516?

On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0876

Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session

Montana HB516: Move workers' compensation court to judicial branch

Q: What does HB516 do?

In its own words: An act transferring the workers' compensation judge from the department of labor and industry to the judicial branch; providing for supervision and administration by the supreme court; creating a workers' compensation court fund and providing for an annual transfer of funds to the fund; providing for a transition; providing for a one-time election for the current workers' compensation judge to elect to remain in the judge's current retirement system; amending sections 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, and 39-71-201, mca; and providing an effective date.

Status: Signed into law, May 19, 2025

What the bill says

An act transferring the workers' compensation judge from the department of labor and industry to the judicial branch; providing for supervision and administration by the supreme court; creating a workers' compensation court fund and providing for an annual transfer of funds to the fund; providing for a transition; providing for a one-time election for the current workers' compensation judge to elect to remain in the judge's current retirement system; amending sections 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, and 39-71-201, mca; and providing an effective date.

From the engrossed text:

AN ACT TRANSFERRING THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION JUDGE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY TO THE JUDICIAL BRANCH; PROVIDING FOR SUPERVISION AND ADMINISTRATION BY THE SUPREME COURT; CREATING A WORKERS' COMPENSATION COURT FUND AND PROVIDING FOR AN ANNUAL TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO THE FUND; PROVIDING FOR A TRANSITION; PROVIDING FOR A ONE-TIME ELECTION FOR THE CURRENT WORKERS' COMPENSATION JUDGE TO ELECT TO REMAIN IN THE JUDGE'S CURRENT RETIREMENT SYSTEM; AMENDING SECTIONS 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, AND 39-71-201, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Section 1. Section 2-15-1707, MCA, is amended to read: "2-15-1707. Office of workers' Workers' compensation judge -- allocation -- appointment -- term -- qualifications -- salary. (1) There is the office of workers' compensation judge. The office is allocated to the department of labor and industry for administrative purposes only as prescribed in 2-15-121 There is a workers' compensation court. The workers' compensation court is presided over by a workers' compensation judge. (2) The governor shall appoint the workers' compensation judge for a term of 6 years in the same manner provided by Title 3, chapter 1, part 9, for the appointment of supreme court justices or district court judges. A vacancy must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. (3) To be eligible for workers' compensation judge, a person must: (a) have the qualifications necessary …

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Montana HB516: Move workers' compensation court to judicial branch

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