Bill > HB805

This bill generally revises workers' compensation laws in Montana by making several key changes. First, the bill modifies the definition of "employee" or "worker" to explicitly specify that only aliens who are lawfully employed are included in workers' compensation coverage, effectively prohibiting undocumented immigrants from receiving such benefits. The bill also introduces a new provision that allows insurers to deny or close workers' compensation claims under two specific circumstances: if the claimant is an illegal alien, or if the claimant has left the United States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, or American Samoa while making a claim or during an ongoing claim. Additionally, the bill slightly amends the definition of "catastrophically injured" to ensure that inpatient care outside Montana must comply with the new territorial requirements established in the bill. These changes appear designed to restrict workers' compensation benefits for undocumented workers and those who leave certain U.S. territories during the claims process, potentially limiting the scope of workers' compensation coverage for some individuals.

Business and Industry

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC3090