MONTANA SPEECH LANGUAGE HEARING ASSOCIATION

2025 Legislative Session: MSHA bills and updates

(Updated March 05, 2025)

1.  HB 585 (LC1850): Medicaid Reimbursement Bill  (Sponsor. Rep. Ed Buttrey): Bill to increase Medicaid Reimbursement for ST/OT/PT in MT.  MSHA SUPPORTS THIS BILL and had an incredible Committee Hearing on Feb. 27.  Across OT/PT/ST we had 38 individuals testify either in person or on Zoom, with a lot of written testimony in support of this bill, as well.  Thanks to all who testified!  Our lobbyist says this bill has support moving into the Senate, but will be amended to NOT include the automatic increase in rate to go along with the Consumer Price Index.  We continue to support the bill as amended because MT Practitioners need this increase to keep their doors open.  We will continue to fight alongside OT/PT to keep our Medicaid reimbursement such that we can keep clinics open. 

 2.  HB 384 (LC3891):  Assistant Bill Date Change (Sponsor Rep. Jennifer Lynch):   This is a bill that will change the date for those who have been working as unlicensed or registered Speech Therapy or Audiology aides to become licensed as assistants if they have the Board required number of hours of supervised practice.  The law currently says hours must have been acquired by January 1, 2024. This bill will extend the date to July 1, 2025. In addition, it makes the law retroactive to the new date, so that those still working on obtaining all of the hours (690 for speech, 100 for audiology) can still become licensed without other educational requirements.  See the current requirements to become a Speech Therapy or Audiology Assistant at the Department of Labor and Industry website.  MSHA SUPPORTS THIS BILL. 
3. HB 438 (LC 457): The Department of Labor and Industry is proposing to combine the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology with the Boards for Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Athletic Trainers.  This would change the make-up of the Board.  After working with the sponsor, it has been revised to include 2 SLPs and 1 AuD in addition to members from the other disciplines and a member of the public.  MSHA SUPPORTS THIS BILL as revised. 
4. (Caseload cap bill: No draft yet): Montana does not have caseload or workload caps for SLPs working in schools at this time.  MSHA thanks Melissa Romano for taking our bill to the Drafter. The Drafter said the bill was too narrow, and as it was in the works the same week as HB 585, HB 607, and HB 744 were heard, we did not have the manpower to remedy the situation.   We were told that a caseload cap "is not feasible" by a member of the Senate, so we will have to bring this bill next session, not as a study, but as a caseload cap. PLEASE watch your emails as we mount this great effort on behalf of talented and dedicated school SLPs who continue to opeate in conditions which are not sustainable.  In the meantime, please contact your MFPE representative and ask for the language that Missoula County Public Schools got into their CBA regarding caseload caps for their district.  This is the way we need to go about it until next session, and maybe beyond, as we are sure to continue to get resistance from Administrators.

5. HB607: Provide for the hearing Aid Coverage Act, (Sponsor Paul Tuss (D)). This bill picks up where a bill from a few sessions left off, and requires state insurances to cover hearing aids for ALL individuals with hearing loss, not just those 18 and under.  MSHA SUPPORTS THIS BILL.  

6. HB744: Authorize Speech-pathology Aides and Audiology Aides (Sponsor: M. Nickolakakos).  MSHA OPPOSES THIS BILL.  This bill seeks to undo the work that MSHA has done to establish Speech-pathology and audiology Assistants as a skilled workforce in Montana.  Although the process has not been smooth, we have been working since 2019 to make sure that ALL Montana clients, even those in schools, are receiving services from individuals who have training in either SLP or AuD.  This is a consumer protection effort, as well as recognition that the education that we receive getting our Master's Degrees, Doctorates, or Assistant program license is important and in place because what we do can not be ethically done by unskilled individuals.  We worked with the sponsor of this bill to limit the use of Aides to just the school setting in MT, and appreciate the Sponsor's willingness to work with us in this regard.  We recognize that there is an issue in rural MT with filling positions, and we are incredibly sympathetic to that end.  We see this as a school funding issue, however, and not an issue that should continue to be carried on the shoulders of our profession. We will continue to work with the schools and the sponsor to work on this issue in future sessions, but for now we must still stand opposed.

• PROGRESS:

• Committee Hearing: March 1, 2025 in House Business and Labor (PASSED, 20-0)
• Second Reading: House Floor  March 6, 2025  (Passed)
• Third Reading: House Floor March 7, 2025 (Passed)
• Transmitted to the Senate:  Assigned to Senate Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs
• First Hearing (Committee Hearing) March 27, 2025

Want to see what is going on in the legislature for yourself? Use this link to learn how to navigate the MT Legislature web page.

What does it take for a bill to become a law?  Read the steps here!

View the MSHA Advocacy Presentation given to at UM NSSLHA Day of Advocacy in April 2024 to learn more about MSHA's Advocacy work.

Information from last session (2023):

Last session we successfully implemented language for Assistant Licensure in Montana.  Individuals can apply to be a SLP Assistant or Audiology Assistant at the Department of Labor and Industry Website, which is  linked above.  On January 10, 2025, the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology emailed out the following information:

In December 2023, the Montana Board of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists instituted licensure for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants and Audiology Assistants. Anyone practicing as an "assistant", "aide", or "paraprofessional" in Montana now needs a license. You can find a list of qualifications for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants and Audiology Assistants within the "Licensure Checklist" on our website (boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/speech-language-pathologists/forms). If you have questions, please contact the board's Executive Officer at (406) 841-2373 or dlibsdslp@mt.gov.

We also successfully implemented language to make Montana members of the Audiology/Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC).  Our latest update is that the Compact is hoping to issue privilege to practice in August 2025. Background checks are required for Compact members. As a result, all of Montana license applicants now have to have a background check when they apply for licensure (as of laws passed by the 2023 Legislature).  Only those who wish to be members of the Compact will need to pay the fee that will be set by the Commission for the privilege to practice in other ASLP-IC states.  Each state will have an SLP and and Audiologist as members of the ASLP-IC Commission, which is the body that sets rules and fees for the Compact.  Find out more about the Compact and see the most up-to-date list of Compact states at https://aslpcompact.com/.  Find out more about the Compact licensure data system at https://compactconnect.org/.

Want to get involved? 

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• Contact Shelby Midboe to find out how you can participate, or regarding legislative issues:   Email slp.shelby.midboe@gmail.com