House Bill 253 mandates that the Department of Public Health and Human Services in Montana disclose specific health information during a declared public health emergency. The bill requires the department to provide updates at least twice a week on its website and through other communication methods, detailing the total number of individuals hospitalized and those who have died due to health conditions identified by the governor as part of the emergency. The information disclosed must include age cohorts, gender, hospitalization periods, dates of death, underlying conditions, and any personal characteristics related to mortality or morbidity associated with the emergency.

Additionally, the bill allows the department to modify how it reports this information if privacy concerns arise, including altering age cohort groupings or withholding certain details. This legislation aims to enhance transparency and public awareness during health crises while balancing the need for confidentiality. The provisions of this bill will be codified as part of Title 50, chapter 16, part 6 of Montana law.