HELENA — Gov. Greg Gianforte has vetoed a pair of health care-related bills — the latest legislation he’s rejected, citing budget concerns:
- Senate Bill 72 would have allowed “presumptive eligibility” for older Montanans and those with disabilities to claim Medicaid benefits for some home- and community-based services. That would have potentially allowed them to start receiving benefits sooner.
- Senate Bill 244 would have required state employee health plans to cover behavioral health screenings with no out-of-pocket costs.
Both bills were sponsored by Sen. Mike Yakawich, R-Billings.
Gianforte said in letters announcing the vetoes that he’s committed to ensuring access to quality care, but the benefits of these bills weren’t worth the potential costs.
He said SB 72 didn’t offer enough safeguards to ensure benefits would only go to people who qualify, since it relies on people stating their own income and expands what providers can determine someone is likely eligible.
He said SB 244 would create an “unfunded mandate” for state health plans and that plan members already have access to many behavioral health services.
Gianforte has now vetoed 30 bills from the 2025 legislative session. Together, those bills laid out tens of millions of dollars in spending.
SB 72 and SB 244 both passed with more than two-thirds support in the House and Senate. That means lawmakers will have an opportunity to vote by mail on whether to enact them into law despite the vetoes.
So far, the Montana Secretary of State’s Office is set to conduct ten veto override polls.
