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69th Legislature 2025 HB 358.1
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 358
1 HOUSE BILL NO. 358
2 INTRODUCED BY S. FYANT, J. REAVIS, L. MUSZKIEWICZ, B. EDWARDS, J. ISALY, J. SECKINGER, B.
3 CLOSE, C. NEUMANN, J. WEBER, J. SOOKTIS, D. POWERS, M. CUNNINGHAM, W. CURDY, M.
4 DUNWELL, J. ELLIS, B. GILLESPIE, G. HUNTER, J. MORIGEAU, T. RUNNING WOLF, D. FERN, D.
5 HARVEY, G. LAMMERS, L. SMITH, K. ZOLNIKOV, L. DEMING, B. USHER, D. BAUM, E. BOLDMAN, L.
6 BREWSTER, B. CARTER, J. COHENOUR, P. FLOWERS, D. HAYMAN, K. KORTUM, S. MORIGEAU, A.
7 OLSEN, E. STAFMAN, S. DEMAROIS, D. JOY
8
9 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT INCREASING THE MONTHLY PENSION BENEFIT FOR THE
10 VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS' COMPENSATION ACT; AMENDING SECTION 19-17-404, MCA; AND
11 PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.”
12
13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
14
15 Section 19-17-404, MCA, is amended to read:
16 "19-17-404. (1) A member is eligible to receive a pension benefit as
17 provided in this section.
18 (2) (a) Except as provided in subsection (2)(c), the full pension benefit paid to an eligible member
19 is $175 $200 a month.
20 (b) A partial pension benefit paid to an eligible member is calculated by multiplying the full pension
21 benefit in subsection (2)(a) by a fraction, the numerator of which is the eligible member's years of service and
22 the denominator of which is 20.
23 (c) Except as provided in subsection (3), the full pension benefit of a member who continued to be
24 an active member after completing 20 years of service must be increased by $7.50 a month for each additional
25 year of active service the member completed after 20 years of service, up to 30 total years of service.
26 (3) (a) Subject to subsection (3)(b), the pension benefit of a member who continues to be a
27 member after completing 30 years of credited service must be increased by $7.50 a month for each additional
28 year of credited service after 30 years if the pension trust fund is actuarially sound and the amortization period ****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 358.1
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – HB 358
1 for any unfunded liabilities remains 20 years or less.
2 (b) A member does not have a contract right to any additional pension benefits received pursuant
3 to subsection (3)(a), and the member's monthly benefit must be reduced to the amount provided under
4 subsection (2)(c) if the amortization period for the unfunded liabilities is greater than 20 years.
5 (c) This subsection (3) applies only to members who retire after July 1, 2011."
6
7 NEW SECTION. Section 2. [This act] is effective July 1, 2025.
8 - END -