House Bill No. [insert bill number] proposes the transfer of the Workers' Compensation Judge from the Department of Labor and Industry to the Judicial Branch of Montana, establishing a Workers' Compensation Court. This court will be presided over by a Workers' Compensation Judge appointed by the governor for a six-year term, with oversight and administration provided by the Montana Supreme Court. To support the court's operations, a Workers' Compensation Court Fund will be created, funded annually by transfers from the Workers' Compensation Administration Fund. The bill also includes amendments to several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to reflect these changes, ensuring the current Workers' Compensation Judge can opt to remain in their existing retirement system until October 1, 2025, while preserving the rights and benefits of existing personnel during the transition.

Additionally, the bill introduces new sections regarding the retirement plan election for workers' compensation judges and mandates the renumbering and codification of certain sections within the MCA. It allows active members of the public employees' retirement system who are workers' compensation judges to notify the public employees' retirement board of their decision to remain under that system by the specified date. A saving clause is included to protect rights and duties that matured or proceedings that began before the act's effective date of July 1, 2025, ensuring that existing legal matters are not retroactively affected. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the administration of workers' compensation cases while maintaining continuity for current judges and employees.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_1(1): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_1(2): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_1(3): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_1(4): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_1(5): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_1(6): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_1(7): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_1(8): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_1: 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_2(1): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_2(2): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_2(3): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_2(4): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_2(5): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_2(6): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_2(7): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_2(8): 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201
HB0516_2: 2-15-1707, 19-5-301, 39-71-201