This bill aims to revise and enhance the unemployment insurance program in Montana by updating collection rates, improving program integrity, and creating a lower tax schedule for employers. Key amendments include the introduction of a new tax schedule for employer classifications and experience ratings, as well as provisions allowing for the carryforward of penalty and interest money across fiscal years. The bill also clarifies the duties of the Department of Labor and Industry in verifying the identity of benefit applicants and crossmatching them with various databases, including those of the Department of Corrections and motor vehicle records.

Additionally, the bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated, including provisions related to penalties for making false statements to obtain benefits. It specifies that 70% of collected penalties will be allocated to a designated account for detecting unpaid taxes and overpayments, while the remaining 30% will go to the unemployment insurance fund. The bill repeals a section related to definitions and includes provisions for limited disclosure of personal information from motor vehicle records for unemployment insurance program integrity purposes. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, with certain sections becoming effective upon passage and approval.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_1(1): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_1(10): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_1(11): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_1(12): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_1(2): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_1(3): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_1(4): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_1(5): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_1(6): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_1(7): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_1(8): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_1(9): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_1: 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_2: 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_X(1): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_X(2): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_X(3): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_X(4): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_X(5): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_X(6): 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508
HB0210_X: 39-51-702, 39-51-706, 39-51-1218, 39-51-3201, 39-51-3202, 61-11-508