2021 Montana Legislature

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_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the ****

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT ESTABLISHING A REMOTE WORK PRODUCTIVITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY PILOT PROGRAM FOR STATE AGENCIES; providing RULEMAKING authority; REQUIRING REPORTING; requiring a legislative performance audit; AND PROVIDING A TERMINATION DATE."

 

WHEREAS, remote work has been a growing trend around the world for several years and the concerns about and attempts to provide transparency, productivity, and accountability have been well documented; and

WHEREAS, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the shift to remote work has been not only necessary but has been monumental; and

WHEREAS, not knowing when or if we will ever return to normal work from the office, the time to pass legislation that creates transparency while increasing remote work productivity all while ensuring accountability to shareholders and taxpayers is now.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

 

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Pilot program for remote work productivity and accountability -- rulemaking -- legislative audit. (1) The department of administration shall establish a remote work productivity and accountability pilot program to track hours worked remotely. The pilot program may encompass remote work performed by state employees or contractors or a combination of both. The department may adopt rules to implement the program.

(2) To implement the pilot program, the department shall:

(a) identify the agencies or work units to participate in the pilot program;

(b) identify best practices for remote work accountability;

(c) determine the specifications and performance measures for the program; and

(d) solicit expertise in the installation and utilization of remote work software capable of providing participants in the pilot program with the ability to transparently track hours worked remotely.

(3) The pilot program must be implemented by January 1, 2022. The department shall report the progress and results of the program to the state administration and veterans' affairs interim committee each interim at the times requested by the committee. A report must also be made available to the full legislature as provided in 5-11-210.

(4) A legislative performance audit must be conducted after the program has been operational for 12 months.

 

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 2, chapter 7, part 1, and the provisions of Title 2, chapter 7, part 1, apply to [section 1].

 

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Termination. [This act] terminates June 30, 2025.