The bill aims to eliminate the Board of Public Assistance and revise the procedures for appeals related to public assistance claims in Montana. It amends Section 53-2-606 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to remove references to the Board of Public Assistance, allowing applicants or recipients to appeal directly to the department for a fair hearing. The bill also repeals Section 2-15-2203, which pertains to the Board of Public Assistance, effectively dissolving the board's role in the appeals process.

Additionally, the bill includes a transition provision that allows the board to remain operational until all pending appeals filed before the effective date are resolved. It establishes that the new procedures will apply to appeals filed on or after the effective date of the act, which is set to take effect upon passage, with the repeal of the board being effective on October 1, 2025. The bill ensures that rights and duties that matured before the effective date are not affected by the changes.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 53-2-606
SB0194_1(1): 53-2-606
SB0194_1(2): 53-2-606
SB0194_1(3): 53-2-606
SB0194_1(4): 53-2-606
SB0194_1(5): 53-2-606
SB0194_1(6): 53-2-606
SB0194_1(7): 53-2-606
SB0194_1: 53-2-606
SB0194_X(1): 53-2-606
SB0194_X(2): 53-2-606
SB0194_X(3): 53-2-606
SB0194_X: 53-2-606