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HB54 • 2025

Repeal DLI commissioner signature requirement

Repeal DLI commissioner signature requirement

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Gary Parry
Last action
2025-03-27
Official status
Chapter Number Assigned
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the impact of this change on day-to-day operations or payment processes.

Repeal DLI Commissioner Signature Requirement

This law removes the requirement for the commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry to countersign warrants for payment from the unemployment trust fund.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the requirement that the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry sign off on payments made from the unemployment trust fund.
  • Updates Section 39-51-406 of Montana Code Annotated to reflect changes in how money is managed for unemployment insurance administration.
  • Eliminates Section 39-51-405, which previously required signatures on payment warrants.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Department of Labor and Industry
  • People who receive unemployment benefits

Terms To Know

Unemployment Trust Fund
A fund that holds money used to pay unemployment benefits.
Warrant
An official document that orders the payment of a sum of money from an account.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the removal of signatures will affect the process of issuing unemployment payments.
  • It is unclear what changes, if any, this law will bring to the day-to-day operations of the Department of Labor and Industry.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-27 HOUSE

    (H) Signed by Governor

  2. 2025-03-27 HOUSE

    Chapter Number Assigned

  3. 2025-03-18 SENATE

    (S) Signed by President

  4. 2025-03-18 HOUSE

    (H) Transmitted to Governor

  5. 2025-03-17 HOUSE

    (H) Signed by Speaker

  6. 2025-03-05 HOUSE

    (H) Returned from Enrolling

  7. 2025-03-03 SENATE

    (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading

  8. 2025-03-03 SENATE

    (S) 3rd Reading Concurred

  9. 2025-03-03 HOUSE

    (H) Sent to Enrolling

  10. 2025-03-01 SENATE

    (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading

  11. 2025-03-01 SENATE

    (S) 2nd Reading Concurred

  12. 2025-02-24 SENATE

    (S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred

  13. 2025-02-21 SENATE

    (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred

  14. 2025-02-17 SENATE

    (S) Hearing

  15. 2025-02-04 SENATE

    (S) Hearing

  16. 2025-02-04 SENATE

    (S) Hearing Canceled

  17. 2025-01-16 SENATE

    (S) Referred to Committee

  18. 2025-01-15 SENATE

    (S) First Reading

  19. 2025-01-14 HOUSE

    (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading

  20. 2025-01-14 HOUSE

    (H) 3rd Reading Passed

  21. 2025-01-14 HOUSE

    (H) Transmitted to Senate

  22. 2025-01-13 HOUSE

    (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading

  23. 2025-01-13 HOUSE

    (H) 2nd Reading Passed

  24. 2025-01-10 HOUSE

    (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed

  25. 2025-01-10 HOUSE

    (H) Committee Report--Bill Passed

  26. 2025-01-07 HOUSE

    (H) Fiscal Note Received

  27. 2025-01-07 HOUSE

    (H) Fiscal Note Signed

  28. 2025-01-07 HOUSE

    (H) Fiscal Note Printed

  29. 2025-01-06 HOUSE

    (H) First Reading

  30. 2025-01-06 HOUSE

    (H) Hearing

  31. 2024-12-20 HOUSE

    (H) Referred to Committee

  32. 2024-12-18 HOUSE

    (H) Fiscal Note Requested

  33. 2024-12-11 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester

  34. 2024-12-11 HOUSE

    (H) Introduced

  35. 2024-12-10 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery

  36. 2024-12-09 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review

  37. 2024-12-09 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Assembly

  38. 2024-12-06 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Legal Review

  39. 2024-12-06 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Edit

  40. 2024-12-06 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing

  41. 2024-09-23 HOUSE

    (LC) Drafter Assigned

Official Summary Text

Repeal DLI commissioner signature requirement

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 54
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 54
ENROLLED BILL
AN ACT REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE COUNTERSIGNATURE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY ON WARRANTS FOR PAYMENT FROM THE
UNEMPLOYMENT TRUST FUND; AMENDING SECTION 39-51-406, MCA; REPEALING SECTION 39-51-
405, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Section 39-51-406, MCA, is amended to read:
"39-51-406. Unemployment insurance administration account. (1) There is an account in the
federal special revenue fund to be known as the unemployment insurance administration account. All money
that is deposited, appropriated, or paid into this account is available for appropriation to the department. All
money in the account must be expended solely for the purpose of defraying the costs of administration of this
chapter and costs of administration of other legislation specifically delegated by the legislature to the
department for administration of unemployment insurance laws.
(2) All money received and deposited in the account from the United States or any agency of the
United States pursuant to section 302 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 502, must be expended solely for
the purpose and in the amounts found necessary by the secretary of labor for the proper and efficient
administration of this chapter.
(3) The account consists of:
(a) all money received from the United States or any agency of the United States pursuant to
section 302 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 502, as amended; and
(b) all money, trust funds, supplies, facilities, or services furnished, deposited, paid, and received
from the United States or any agency of the United States that are designated for use in the administration of
the unemployment insurance program.
****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 54
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – HB 54
ENROLLED BILL
(4) Notwithstanding any provisions of this section, all money requisitioned and deposited in this
account pursuant to 39-51-403 through 39-51-405 39-51-404 must remain part of the unemployment insurance
fund and must be used only in accordance with the conditions specified in 39-51-403 through 39-51-405 39-51-
404.
(5) All money in this account must be deposited, administered, and disbursed in the same manner
and under the same conditions and requirements as is provided by law for other accounts. The balance in this
account may not lapse at any time but must be continuously available to the department for expenditure
consistent with this chapter.
(6) Any reference to the unemployment insurance administration fund in this code means the
unemployment insurance administration account in the federal special revenue fund."
Section 2. Repealer. The following section of the Montana Code Annotated is repealed:
39-51-405. Signatures required on warrants.
Section 3. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.
- END -
I hereby certify that the within bill,
HB 54, originated in the House.
___________________________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
___________________________________________
Speaker of the House
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
___________________________________________
President of the Senate
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
HOUSE BILL NO. 54
INTRODUCED BY G. PARRY
BY REQUEST OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION
AN ACT REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE COUNTERSIGNATURE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY ON WARRANTS FOR PAYMENT FROM THE
UNEMPLOYMENT TRUST FUND; AMENDING SECTION 39-51-406, MCA; REPEALING SECTION 39-51-405,
MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.