This bill proposes a comprehensive restructuring of the Montana Public Safety Officer Standards and Training Council by transferring its jurisdiction from the Department of Justice to the Department of Labor and Industry. It establishes a new board consisting of 13 members from various law enforcement and public safety sectors, responsible for setting certification and training fees, which will be funded by the state for state employees and local government employees. The bill standardizes the council's duties and processes to align with other professional boards and exempts it from certain processes in Title 37 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA). Additionally, it introduces new sections defining the council's roles, including establishing training standards and certification processes, while ensuring compliance and reporting requirements to enhance transparency.

Furthermore, the bill amends several sections of the MCA related to the qualifications and training requirements for public safety roles, including coroners and peace officers. It introduces new educational requirements for coroners and modifies the certification process for public safety communications officers and peace officers, including the deletion of certain penalties for non-compliance. The bill also expands the definition of "peace officer" to include motor carrier services enforcement officers and emphasizes the prohibition of racial profiling by mandating policies to prevent such practices. Additionally, it outlines changes to vehicle registration fees, establishing a new fee structure and specifying the allocation of collected fees to various state accounts, with significant changes set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 5-11-222, 7-4-2904, 7-4-2905, 7-31-201, 7-31-202, 7-31-203, 7-32-201, 7-32-213, 7-32-303, 7-32-4112, 19-7-101, 20-7-1335, 27-16-801, 41-5-1808, 44-2-117, 44-4-902, 44-10-204, 44-14-101, 46-6-507, 46-18-111, 46-23-1003, 61-3-224