Montana Senate Bill SR46

Montana 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/15/25
• Refer: 3/15/25
• Enrolled: 4/10/25
• Passed: 4/16/25

Caption

Confirm governor's appointees for board of speech-language pathologists and audiologists

Summary

SR 46 is a Senate resolution that confirms two gubernatorial appointments to the Montana Board of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists. The resolution names Hillary Carter of Helena and Barbara Doughty of Great Falls as board members and specifies the end dates of their terms. It is a consent resolution under Montana law, meaning the Senate is exercising its constitutional/statutory role to approve executive appointments rather than creating new policy. The resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit copies to the Secretary of State and the Governor after adoption. It does not amend the Montana Code Annotated, create a new regulatory program, or change licensing standards; instead, it completes the appointment process for an existing professional licensing board that oversees speech-language pathology and audiology in Montana.

Impact

SR 46 affects the composition of the Board of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, the state board responsible for oversight of licensure and regulation in this profession. Its practical impact is limited to confirming who will serve on the board and for how long, under the appointment and confirmation procedures in sections 5-5-302 and 5-5-303, MCA, and the board’s enabling statute, section 2-15-1739, MCA. No substantive statutory changes are made to licensing law or board authority.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have been noncontroversial and broadly supported. It passed the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Safety Committee unanimously 11-0 and then passed the full Senate unanimously 48-0. The lack of recorded opposition or committee discussion suggests routine approval of the governor’s nominees rather than a contested policy issue.

Contention

There is no evident substantive contention in the available record. Because SR 46 is a confirmation resolution, any potential disagreement would likely have centered on the qualifications, experience, or suitability of the appointees, but no such objections appear in the votes or transcripts provided. The unanimous committee and floor votes indicate that the appointments were accepted without dispute.