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SB 56MONTANASession 2025State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Montana revises supplemental employer contribution rates for public employee retirement systems

Original title: Supplemental employer contribution for PERS, HPORS, SRS, GWPORS

Last action · May 13, 2025: Chapter Number AssignedSponsor: Mike Cuffe

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Does

Montana extends and increases supplemental employer contribution rates for the Public Employees' Retirement System and adds new supplemental rates for the Highway Patrol Officers' Retirement System, Sheriffs' Retirement System, and Game Wardens' and Peace Officers' Retirement System, effective July 1, 2025.

Why it matters

Changes long-term financial obligations for state and local government employers by adjusting pension contribution percentages to address system liabilities, with potential impacts on local property tax mill levies for county sheriff retirement funding.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Public Employers

Employers must pay extended and increased supplemental contribution rates for public employee retirement systems.

Directly affected

Counties

Counties employing members of the Sheriffs' Retirement System may impose a mill levy to fund required employer contributions.

Directly affected

Retirement System Members

Members of PERS, HPORS, SRS, and GWPORS are affected by changes to system funding and amortization schedules designed to secure pension liabilities.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What changes for public employers under SB 56?
SB 56 extends and increases the supplemental employer contribution rate for the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) and introduces new supplemental employer contribution rates for the Highway Patrol Officers' Retirement System, Sheriffs' Retirement System, and Game Wardens' and Peace Officers' Retirement System.
Can counties raise taxes to cover the increased retirement contributions?
Yes, if required contributions exceed funds available from general revenue sources, a county may budget, levy, and collect an annual tax on taxable property within the county to meet the obligation, following a public hearing.
When do these additional employer contributions terminate?
The additional employer contribution terminates on July 1 following the board's receipt of an actuarial valuation determining that termination would not cause the system's to exceed 25 years.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

46 actions
  1. May 13, 2025Senate
    Chapter Number Assigned
  2. May 8, 2025SenateEnrolled
    (S) Signed by Governor
  3. Apr 30, 2025Senate
    (S) Transmitted to Governor
  4. Apr 29, 2025House
    (H) Signed by Speaker
  5. Apr 21, 2025Senate
    (S) Signed by President
  6. Apr 11, 2025Senate
    (S) Returned from Enrolling
Show 40 earlier actions
  1. Apr 10, 2025Senate
    (S) Sent to Enrolling
  2. Apr 10, 2025House
    (H) 3rd Reading
  3. Apr 10, 2025House
    (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
  4. Apr 9, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Committee Report
  5. Apr 8, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Committee Executive Action
  6. Mar 31, 2025House
    (H) Hearing
  7. Mar 29, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Rereferred to Committee
  8. Mar 29, 2025House
    (H) 2nd Reading
  9. Mar 29, 2025House
    (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
  10. Mar 27, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Committee Report
  11. Mar 27, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Committee Executive Action
  12. Mar 5, 2025House
    (H) Hearing
  13. Feb 25, 2025House
    (H) 1st Reading
  14. Feb 25, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Referred to Committee
  15. Feb 24, 2025Senate
    (S) Transmitted to House
  16. Feb 24, 2025Senate
    (S) 3rd Reading
  17. Feb 24, 2025Senate
    (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
  18. Feb 21, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Committee Report
  19. Feb 20, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Committee Executive Action
  20. Feb 17, 2025Senate
    (S) Hearing
  21. Feb 15, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Rereferred to Committee
  22. Feb 15, 2025Senate
    (S) 2nd Reading
  23. Feb 15, 2025Senate
    (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
  24. Jan 24, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Committee Report
  25. Jan 22, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Committee Executive Action
  26. Jan 15, 2025Senate
    (S) Hearing
  27. Jan 8, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Printed
  28. Jan 7, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Referred to Committee
  29. Jan 6, 2025Senate
    (S) 1st Reading
  30. Jan 6, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Received
  31. Dec 18, 2024Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Requested
  32. Dec 16, 2024SenateIntroduced
    (S) Introduced
  33. Dec 16, 2024House
    (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
  34. Nov 18, 2024House
    (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
  35. Nov 17, 2024House
    (LC) Draft in Assembly
  36. Nov 12, 2024House
    (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
  37. Nov 4, 2024House
    (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
  38. Oct 30, 2024House
    (LC) Draft in Edit
  39. Oct 30, 2024House
    (LC) Draft in Legal Review
  40. Sep 11, 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.

Sponsors

Mike CuffeSenate · District 1RepublicanPrimary sponsor

Connected Entities

Game Wardens' and Peace Officers' Retirement System, Public Employees' Retirement System, Highway Patrol Officers' Retirement System and 3 more
OrganizationGame Wardens' and Peace Officers' Retirement System“Retirement system receiving new supplemental employer contribution rates”Map →
OrganizationPublic Employees' Retirement System“Public retirement system affected by contribution adjustments”Map →
OrganizationHighway Patrol Officers' Retirement System“Retirement system receiving new supplemental employer contribution rates and sta”Map →
OrganizationPublic Employees' Retirement Board“Board responsible for reviewing additional employer contributions and actuarial ”Map →
OrganizationState Administration and Veterans' Affairs Interim Committee“Requested the bill”Map →
OrganizationSheriffs' Retirement System“Retirement system receiving new supplemental employer contribution rates”Map →

Sources

Open source document

bills.legmt.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy25
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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