Bill > SB210

This bill eliminates the statutory requirement for a student regent on the Board of Regents for Montana's higher education system. Currently, the law mandates that one seat on the Board of Regents is reserved for a full-time student appointed by the governor for a one-year term, with a specific nomination process involving a student organization. The bill removes this requirement entirely, replacing the student regent position with a standard seven-year appointment that follows the same rules as other board members, including restrictions on political party affiliation and geographical representation. To implement this change, the bill provides a transition plan where the governor will appoint a new board member on July 1, 2025, to fill the vacancy created by removing the student regent position, with this initial appointment lasting until January 31, 2030, after which a standard seven-year term will be appointed. The effective date of the bill is July 1, 2025, which means the current student regent provisions will remain in place until that date, after which the board composition will change to exclude the dedicated student seat.