jodee etchart state representative 2025 bills

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Allow PA's to treat patients with work place injuries (workman's compensation claims)

Physician Assistant interstate compact  allows  PA's  to practice in other compact states increasing access to patient care across MT. 

Remove non-compete restrictions for Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and CRNA's ensuring continued access to your health care provider.  

Provides a fund for Dept of Labor and Industry to cover the costs of investigations and protect boards and programs from unforeseen costs. 

Standardize laws related to mental and physical health evaluations for all licensees in MT. 

Adopt the psychology interjurisdictional compact--"psypact".

Standardize provisional, temporary and non-routine license applications.

Standardize professional license discipline.

Standardize edible marijuana dose available in a single serving. One gummy = one serving.  

Strengthened Human Trafficking Laws and sends the message that we will not tolerate this is Montana!

Physician Assistant Independent Practice will increase access to high quality care in MT especially in rural areas. MT is leading the way in Health Care Reform.  Keeping the promise to increase access to  health care in MT.   HB 313 passed, helping MT to earn the title as a National Leader in Health Care Reform. https://missoulian.com/opinion/columnists/edward-timmons-montana-is-now-a-national-leader-on-health-care-reform/article_8274ec14-f433-11ed-b811-6f46cf0ade3b.html

Direct Entry Midwives now have more medications and treatment options to make home births even safer. MT is 5th in the nation in per capita home births. 

Expands insurance coverage of diagnostic breast imaging to include diagnostic mammogram,  ultrasound and MRI of the breast.   This insurance mandate was supported by BCBS MT because it has the potential to lower overall cancer treatment costs with early intervention. 

Vetoed by the Governor. This bill allows individual elementary districts to combine to create a High School while keeping intact their own admin structure to provide for greater K-8 autonomy state wide, in rural and urban areas.  This provides options for communities to consolidate to form a High School and can decrease taxes. 

Allow Rural Hospitals to obtain Federal funding to help them stay open and serve rural MT.

Eliminates unnecessary financial qualification paperwork for certain individuals in need of a public defender. Better serves low income people in MT.