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MC

Bill

HB 949

Require fee schedule and report for certain commitments

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Mary Caferro

Montana counties must publish psychiatric commitment fee schedules and report annual commitment data to the state for transparency and oversight purposes.

Chapter Number Assigned
#appropriations(seealso:statefinance) #civilprocedure #health(seealso:healthcareservices;safety) #healthcareservices(seealso:health) #mentalillnessorincapacity(seealso:institutions) #rulemaking #safety(seealso:health)
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Bill Summary · HB 949

Legislative bill overview

HB 949 requires Montana counties to establish and publish fee schedules for involuntary psychiatric commitments and to submit annual reports documenting commitment data to the state. The bill creates transparency requirements around the administrative and financial aspects of mental health commitment procedures that were previously unregulated at the county level.

Why is this important

Mental health commitments involve significant restrictions on individual liberty and generate costs borne by counties and individuals. Without standardized fee schedules and reporting, there is no visibility into how commitments vary by county, what costs are imposed on patients or counties, or whether disparities exist in commitment practices. This bill addresses a data gap that prevents evidence-based policy discussion about mental health justice.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost burden on counties: Establishing fee schedules and reporting systems requires administrative resources; counties may argue this creates unfunded mandate burdens, particularly for rural areas with limited capacity
  • Patient fees vs. public funding: The bill's silence on whether patients can be charged fees (versus county absorption of costs) leaves ambiguity about financial impact on individuals experiencing mental health crises
  • Privacy and data concerns: Reporting commitment data raises questions about what information is collected, how it's protected, and whether aggregated data could inadvertently identify individuals in smaller counties

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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