---
type: "Bill"
title: "Revising workers’ compensation laws relating to when the employee is released to return to work"
description: "Revising workers’ compensation laws relating to when the employee is released to return to work"
jurisdiction: "us/states/mt"
legislature: "Montana Legislature"
session: "2025"
identifier: "HB 197"
citation: "Montana HB 197 (2025)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Workers' Compensation"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Anthony Nicastro"]
version_count: 41
action_count: 46
vote_count: 8
first_action: "2024-12-07T22:07:49+00:00"
last_action: "2025-04-07T23:02:28+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/f2c68374-0803-40e3-a3d0-f5bce1c17140"
source_url: "https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2254?open_tab=sum"
source_hash: "352047e7cbe2a19eb573dbe6303397f141246000291a6268f59c3f16811b5aab"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-mt"]
---

# Montana HB 197 (2025) — Revising workers’ compensation laws relating to when the employee is released to return to work

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **HB0197.001.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=284357)
2. **HB0197_1(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=271773)
3. **HB0197_1(10).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=286654)
4. **HB0197_1(2).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=271778)
5. **HB0197_1(3).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=275253)
6. **HB0197_1(4).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=276311)
7. **HB0197_1(5).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=277460)
8. **HB0197_1(6).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=286497)
9. **HB0197_1(7).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=286651)
10. **HB0197_1(8).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=286652)
11. **HB0197_1(9).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=286653)
12. **HB0197_1.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=271423)
13. **HB0197_2(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=286656)
14. **HB0197_2(2).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=286658)
15. **HB0197_2(3).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=286659)
16. **HB0197_2(4).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=286703)
17. **HB0197_2(5).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=286705)
18. **HB0197_2(6).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=286710)
19. **HB0197_2(7).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=294641)
20. **HB0197_2(8).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=296342)
21. **HB0197_2.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=286655)
22. **HB0197_3.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=296341)
23. **HB0197_X(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=296344)
24. **HB0197_X(10).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=308375)
25. **HB0197_X(11).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=308376)
26. **HB0197_X(12).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=308377)
27. **HB0197_X(13).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=310854)
28. **HB0197_X(14).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=316792)
29. **HB0197_X(15).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=320370)
30. **HB0197_X(16).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=324215)
31. **HB0197_X(17).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=326531)
32. **HB0197_X(2).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=296578)
33. **HB0197_X(3).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=296579)
34. **HB0197_X(4).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=296580)
35. **HB0197_X(5).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=296583)
36. **HB0197_X(6).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=296584)
37. **HB0197_X(7).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=296667)
38. **HB0197_X(8).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=296668)
39. **HB0197_X(9).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=296672)
40. **HB0197_X.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=296343)
41. **LC2254.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=269720)

## Votes

- Do Concur — **47–3** (pass) · upper
- Do Concur — **35–14** (pass) · upper
- do_pass — **12–8** (pass) · lower
- Do Concur — **59–39** (pass) · lower
- Do Pass — **58–42** (pass) · lower
- Do Pass — **58–42** (pass) · lower
- be_concurred_in_as_amended — **12–0** (pass) · upper
- Do Concur — **60–40** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Anthony Nicastro — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2024-12-07T22:07:49+00:00** (LC) Drafter Assigned
- **2024-12-31T21:02:21+00:00** (LC) Draft in Legal Review
- **2024-12-31T22:39:09+00:00** (LC) Draft in Edit
- **2025-01-03T16:02:54+00:00** (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
- **2025-01-06T14:19:11+00:00** (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
- **2025-01-07T13:49:00+00:00** (LC) Draft in Assembly
- **2025-01-08T16:38:27+00:00** (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
- **2025-01-13T22:47:05+00:00** (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- **2025-01-14T19:50:08+00:00** (H) Introduced
- **2025-01-14T19:54:06+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Requested
- **2025-01-15T18:06:59+00:00** (H) Referred to Committee - (H) Business and Labor `referral-committee`
- **2025-01-15T20:09:28+00:00** (H) First Reading `reading-1`
- **2025-01-16T22:25:22+00:00** (H) Hearing - (H) Business and Labor
- **2025-01-24T14:00:15+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Received `receipt`
- **2025-01-24T19:11:46+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Signed
- **2025-01-24T23:40:01+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Printed
- **2025-01-27T18:34:03+00:00** (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed - (H) Business and Labor `committee-passage`
- **2025-01-27T22:00:00+00:00** (H) Committee Report--Bill Passed - (H) Business and Labor `committee-passage`
- **2025-01-29T21:14:00+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Passed `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2025-01-30T21:38:00+00:00** (H) 3rd Reading Passed `passage, reading-3`
- **2025-01-30T21:49:41+00:00** (H) Transmitted to Senate
- **2025-01-31T20:29:41+00:00** (S) First Reading `reading-1`
- **2025-02-13T16:41:15+00:00** (S) Referred to Committee - (S) Business, Labor and Economic Affairs `referral-committee`
- **2025-02-13T23:17:54+00:00** (S) Hearing - (S) Business, Labor and Economic Affairs
- **2025-02-24T17:47:19+00:00** (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred as Amended - (S) Business, Labor and Economic Affairs
- **2025-02-24T20:24:00+00:00** (S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended - (S) Business, Labor and Economic Affairs
- **2025-02-25T22:58:35+00:00** (H) Revised Fiscal Note Requested
- **2025-02-28T13:37:03+00:00** (H) Revised Fiscal Note Received `receipt`
- **2025-02-28T18:34:36+00:00** (H) Revised Fiscal Note Signed
- **2025-03-01T15:21:04+00:00** (H) Revised Fiscal Note Printed
- **2025-03-15T14:30:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2025-03-15T16:11:00+00:00** (S) 2nd Reading Concurred `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2025-03-17T19:00:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading `reading-3`
- **2025-03-17T20:15:00+00:00** (S) 3rd Reading Concurred `passage, reading-3`
- **2025-03-17T21:29:21+00:00** (S) Returned to House with Amendments
- **2025-03-19T19:00:00+00:00** (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2025-03-19T19:29:00+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Senate Amendments Concurred `amendment-amendment, amendment-passage, reading-2, reading-2`
- **2025-03-20T19:00:00+00:00** (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading `reading-3`
- **2025-03-20T21:55:00+00:00** (H) 3rd Reading Passed as Amended by Senate `passage, passage, reading-3, reading-3`
- **2025-03-20T23:00:00+00:00** (H) Sent to Enrolling
- **2025-03-21T17:10:56+00:00** (H) Returned from Enrolling
- **2025-03-28T23:15:00+00:00** (H) Signed by Speaker `passage`
- **2025-04-01T17:00:47+00:00** (S) Signed by President `passage`
- **2025-04-01T18:35:47+00:00** (H) Transmitted to Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2025-04-07T19:59:42+00:00** (H) Signed by Governor `executive-signature`
- **2025-04-07T23:02:28+00:00** Chapter Number Assigned `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/f2c68374-0803-40e3-a3d0-f5bce1c17140`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Montana legislature records).