House bill NO. 879

INTRODUCED BY L. Sheldon-Galloway

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT establishing a POST-ABORTION counseling program; providing rulemaking authority; providing an appropriation; and PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE."

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

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Post-abortion counseling -- rulemaking authority -- confidentiality. (1) The department shall establish a program to pay for counseling for women who are experiencing trauma related to an abortion.

(2)        The department shall adopt rules that include but are not limited to:

(a)        the eligibility requirements for receiving assistance under the program;

(b)        the application process for obtaining assistance; and

(b)        the types and duration of counseling to be covered under the program.

(3)        The eligibility criteria may not include limits on an applicant's income or the amount of time that has elapsed since an abortion was performed.

(4)        The department shall maintain the confidentiality of applicants for assistance under the program.

(5)        The department shall include in the report required under 50-20-110 statistical data on the number of women receiving assistance under the program and the amount of money spent for counseling services.

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Appropriation. (1) There is appropriated $250,000 from the general fund to the department of public health and human services in each year of the biennium beginning July 1, 2023, to pay for post-abortion counseling as provided in [section 1].

(2)        The legislature intends that the appropriation in this section be considered part of the ongoing base for the next legislative session.

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 50, chapter 20, part 1, and the provisions of Title 50, chapter 20, part 1, apply to [section 1].

NEW SECTION. Section 4. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2023.