Lawmakers shelve bill to invest in health insurance trust for teachers

Montana legislation that proposed investing $60 million in one-time funds to establish a statewide health insurance trust for public school employees was tabled on Feb. 24 by the House Appropriations Committee on a 13-10 vote, reports the Montana Free Press. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. David Bedey, R-Hamilton, argued that such a trust would help drive down costs for struggling districts and increase take-home pay for teachers. However, two Republican lawmakers expressed concern over the level of funding requested and the amount of time that participating districts would be required to stick with the trust before being able to withdraw.