- 2025
69th Legislature 2025 HB0557.2
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 557
1 HOUSE BILL NO. 557
2 INTRODUCED BY J. ETCHART, L. SCHUBERT, M. VINTON, S. KELLY, K. LOVE, G. OVERSTREET, T.
3 SHARP, E. BYRNE, R. GREGG, L. BENNETT, T. MILLETT, D. ZOLNIKOV, D. EMRICH, J. FULLER, C.
4 HINKLE, R. MARSHALL, A. REGIER, S. VANCE, M. REGIER, S. VINTON, C. GLIMM, B. LER, J.
5 SCHILLINGER, G. OBLANDER, K. ZOLNIKOV, L. DEMING, F. NAVE, T. FALK, P. FIELDER, G. HERTZ, G.
6 KMETZ, D. LENZ, T. MCGILLVRAY, B. MITCHELL, G. PARRY, K. SEEKINS-CROWE, J. TREBAS, Z. WIRTH,
7 B. BEARD, S. ESSMANN, J. DARLING, V. MOORE
8
9 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT REVISING EDUCATION LAWS TO LIMIT THE STATE
10 PROMOTION OF AUTHORIZED TEACHER ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS OF TEACHER ORGANIZATIONS
11 TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT IS SOLELY DEVOTED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF
12 INSTRUCTION AND ALIGNED TO STANDARDS OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION; PROHIBITING
13 PUPIL-INSTRUCTION-RELATED DAYS FROM BEING USED FOR ATTENDING STATE MEETINGS OF
14 TEACHER ORGANIZATIONS; REMOVING THE MANDATE THAT TRUSTEES CLOSE SCHOOLS FOR THE
15 ANNUAL MEETINGS OF TEACHER ORGANIZATIONS; AMENDING SECTIONS 20-1-304 AND 20-4-304,
16 MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.”
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19 WHEREAS, pupil-instruction-related days are supported with state and local tax dollars; and
20 WHEREAS, recent professional development opportunities for teachers utilizing pupil-instruction-
21 related days included political activity and unnecessarily divisive partisan content.
22
23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
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25 Section 20-1-304, MCA, is amended to read:
26 "20-1-304. (1) A pupil-instruction-related day is a day of:
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28 (A) teacher activities, INCLUDING PREPARING FOR AND CONDUCTING PARENT CONFERENCES AND FOR - 2025
69th Legislature 2025 HB0557.2
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – HB 557
1-TERM RECORDS DAYS; OR
2
3 (B) devoted to improving the quality of instruction
4 OF . The activities may include but are not limited to
5 inservice training, attending state meetings of teacher organizations, and conducting parent conferences. The
6 activities may not include attending state meetings of teacher organizations.
7
8 (2) A maximum of 7 pupil-instruction-related days may be conducted during a school year, with a
9 minimum of 3 of the days for instructional and professional development meetings or other appropriate
10 inservice training, if the days are planned in accordance with the policy adopted by the board of public
11 education. The days may not be included as a part of the required minimum aggregate hours of pupil
12 instruction."
13
14 Section 20-4-304, MCA, is amended to read:
15 "20-4-304.
16 a school district shall close the schools of the district for the annual instructional and professional development
17 meetings of teachers' organizations. T MAY CLOSE THE SCHOOLS OF THE
18 INSTRUCTIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS '
19 THE REQUIREMENTS OF
20 development meetings without loss of salary or attend other appropriate inservice training that may be
21 prescribed by the trustees without loss of salary. If a teacher does not attend, the teacher may not be paid."
22
23 NEW SECTION. Section 3. [This act] is effective July 1, 2025.
24 - END -