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SB 378MONTANASession 2025State Billdead
Did Not Advance

Montana establishes tribal relations management team in health department

Original title: Create a tribal relations management team at DPHHS

Last action · May 23, 2025: (S) Died in ProcessSponsor: Susan Webber

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
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What This Bill Proposed

Montana establishes a tribal relations management team within the Department of Public Health and Human Services, consisting of a tribal relations manager and a director of American Indian health. The bill sets specific duties for both roles, requiring them to be held by different individuals, and directs the secretary of state to notify federally recognized tribal governments.

Why it matters

Creates permanent state administrative roles dedicated to tribal health coordination and policy collaboration, altering how the health department interacts with tribal governments and addresses health outcome disparities.

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.

Directly affected

Department of Public Health and Human Services

The department is required to house the new tribal relations management team and oversee the duties of the manager and director.

Directly affected

Federally recognized tribal governments in Montana

Tribal governments interact with the newly established tribal relations manager for formal consultations and government-to-government communications.

Key Facts

  • Establishes a tribal relations management team in the Department of Public Health and Human Services.
  • The team consists of a tribal relations manager and a director of American Indian health, which cannot be held by the same person.
  • The tribal relations manager serves as lead communicator to tribal governments, assists with policy creation, facilitates formal consultations, and finalizes annual reports.
  • The director of American Indian health identifies health outcome disparities between Indian and non-Indian populations and develops strategies for improving health equity.
Show all 5 facts
  • Requires the secretary of state to send a copy of the act to each federally recognized tribal government in Montana.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the tribal relations manager and the director of American Indian health be the same person?
No, the law explicitly states that the positions may not be held by the same individual.
What are the primary duties of the director of American Indian health?
The director identifies sources of health disparities between Indian and non-Indian populations and develops strategies to improve health equity.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died in committee.

Procedural history

21 actions
  1. May 23, 2025Senate
    (S) Died in Process
  2. Mar 12, 2025Senate
    (S) Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal
  3. Feb 26, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Tabled in Committee
  4. Feb 26, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Printed
  5. Feb 26, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Signed
  6. Feb 25, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Received
Show 15 earlier actions
  1. Feb 25, 2025Senate
    (S) Hearing
  2. Feb 20, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Requested
  3. Feb 20, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Referred to Committee
  4. Feb 20, 2025Senate
    (S) 1st Reading
  5. Feb 20, 2025SenateIntroduced
    (S) Introduced
  6. Feb 18, 2025House
    (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
  7. Feb 17, 2025House
    (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
  8. Feb 16, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Assembly
  9. Feb 15, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
  10. Feb 14, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
  11. Feb 12, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Edit
  12. Feb 12, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Legal Review
  13. Feb 10, 2025House
    (LC) Draft Taken Off Hold
  14. Jan 11, 2025House
    (LC) Draft On Hold
  15. Oct 8, 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.

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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.

Sponsors

Susan WebberSenate · District 8DemocraticPrimary sponsor

Connected Entities

Department of Public Health and Human Services
OrganizationDepartment of Public Health and Human Services“State department tasked with housing the tribal relations management team.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

bills.legmt.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 60)
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz25
    Current news / social attention level

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