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Read. Follow. Verify.Montana Bill SB 308 Replaces State Wage Limit on Workers' Compensation with $2,885 Weekly Cap
Last action · May 23, 2025: (S) Died in ProcessSponsor: Derek Harvey
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What This Bill Proposed
Senate Bill 308 removes the statutory restriction limiting weekly workers' compensation benefits to the state's average weekly wage, replacing it with a fixed maximum cap of $2,885 per week across temporary total, permanent total, permanent partial, and death benefits. The measure amends multiple sections of Montana Code Annotated regarding employee classifications, disability compensation, and death benefits.
The measure alters the maximum payout ceiling for injured workers across Montana, decoupling the benefit limit from the fluctuating state average weekly wage and substituting a fixed $2,885 weekly threshold for high-earning claimants.
- Workers' compensation laws in Montana govern medical and wage-loss benefits for employees injured on the job, structured under Title 39 of the Montana Code Annotated. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
injured workers
workers' compensation insurers
Insurers must calculate premium rates and administer disability, impairment, and death benefits using the newly established $2,885 weekly limit.
Key Facts
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died in committee.
Procedural history
29 actions- May 23, 2025Senate(S) Died in Process
- Apr 9, 2025Senate(S) Missed Deadline for Appropriation Bill Transmittal
- Mar 20, 2025SenateCommittee(S) Tabled in Committee
- Mar 20, 2025SenateCommittee(S) Committee Executive Action
- Mar 17, 2025Senate(S) Revised Fiscal Note Printed
- Mar 14, 2025Senate(S) Revised Fiscal Note Received
Show 23 earlier actions
- Mar 12, 2025Senate(S) Hearing
- Mar 4, 2025SenateCommittee(S) Rereferred to Committee
- Mar 4, 2025Senate(S) 2nd Reading
- Mar 4, 2025Senate(S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
- Mar 1, 2025Senate(S) Revised Fiscal Note Requested
- Mar 1, 2025SenateCommittee(S) Committee Report
- Mar 1, 2025SenateCommittee(S) Committee Executive Action
- Feb 24, 2025Senate(S) Fiscal Note Printed
- Feb 21, 2025Senate(S) Fiscal Note Signed
- Feb 20, 2025Senate(S) Fiscal Note Received
- Feb 13, 2025Senate(S) Hearing
- Feb 13, 2025Senate(S) Fiscal Note Requested
- Feb 13, 2025SenateCommittee(S) Referred to Committee
- Feb 12, 2025Senate(S) 1st Reading
- Feb 12, 2025SenateIntroduced(S) Introduced
- Feb 12, 2025House(LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- Jan 25, 2025House(LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
- Jan 22, 2025House(LC) Draft in Assembly
- Jan 22, 2025House(LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
- Jan 21, 2025House(LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
- Jan 17, 2025House(LC) Draft in Edit
- Jan 16, 2025House(LC) Draft in Legal Review
- Nov 22, 2024House(LC) Drafter Assigned
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
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Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Transition from Floating Average to Fixed Cap
The bill replaces a dynamic benchmark (the state's average weekly wage) with a hard statutory dollar cap of $2,885 per week across multiple workers' compensation provisions.
Connected Entities
Sources
bills.legmt.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy50Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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