A state task force created by Gov. Greg Gianforte has delivered a 130-page report with 37 recommendations aimed at overhauling how Montana handles professional licensing, as first reported by ktvh.com. The report, presented Tuesday, is the product of six months of work and addresses a licensing landscape that spans more than 200 categories and approximately 200,000 license holders statewide.
Background
Gianforte established the Licensing Reform Task Force in January, directing it to examine whether Montana’s professional licensing system was working efficiently for workers and businesses. The panel was chaired by Sarah Swanson, Commissioner of Labor and Industry.
Professional licensing reform has been a recurring issue in state capitols across the country, with critics arguing that overly burdensome requirements can restrict workforce entry without clear public-safety benefits. Montana’s effort follows similar reform pushes in other Republican-led states.
What the Report Recommends
The 37 recommendations span a wide range of professions and regulatory structures. Among the most significant is a proposal to establish a mandatory 10-year review cycle for existing licenses, licensing programs, and the boards that oversee them — a measure designed to prevent outdated requirements from persisting indefinitely.
The report also addresses specific trades and service sectors. Recommendations for contractors, plumbers, certified nursing assistants, and cosmetologists are included. For cosmetologists in particular, the task force recommended that practitioners be allowed to work across state lines, a change that would expand labor mobility for that profession.
Of the 37 total recommendations, 15 would require action by the state legislature, meaning they would not move forward until the 2027 regular session at the earliest. Twelve recommendations fall within the executive branch’s existing authority and could be implemented administratively without legislative approval. The remaining 10 require additional study before they are ready for implementation.
Key Voices
Gianforte framed the task force’s mission around economic participation, telling ktvh.com, “We brought this group together to serve Montanans who want to contribute to our economy but need and deserve a more efficient system.”
Swanson described the goal as streamlining rather than dismantling. She told ktvh.com that while the overall structure of licensing would remain intact, the process would become substantially more efficient for applicants and regulated professionals alike.
What Comes Next
The 12 administratively actionable recommendations are the most likely to move quickly, as they do not depend on the legislature. Executive branch agencies can begin implementing those changes under current authority.
The 15 recommendations that require legislative action will need to be introduced and passed during the 2027 regular session — the next opportunity for the Montana Legislature to meet in regular session after adjourning in 2025. The 10 recommendations still under development will likely inform interim committee work and future legislation as that process unfolds.
Licensing reform is broadly consistent with Gianforte’s stated economic agenda, and the recommendations that land before the legislature will face a Republican-controlled body generally supportive of reducing regulatory barriers to workforce entry.
