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Licensing Reform Task Force

The Licensing Reform Task Force was established by Governor Greg Gianforte on Jan. 29, 2026. The purpose of the Task Force is to provide the Governor with recommendations and strategies for the State of Montana to reform the professional occupational licensing system for the purposes of identifying and removing barriers faced by licensees that are not necessary to protect the public and improving access to and availability of professional services for citizens across Montana, including rural communities.

Over the last 10 years, professional and occupational licenses issued in the State of Montana have doubled and the number of occupations subject to professional licensure have increased, but there has been no comprehensive review of existing regulations to determine if those licensing requirements are truly protecting the health, safety, and welfare of Montanans. Reducing barriers to work is a key focus of the Governor’s 406 JOBS initiative. The Licensing Reform Task Force aligns with the goals of 406 JOBS, providing a comprehensive review of existing licensing structures to ensure the regulations are necessary, effective, and narrowly tailored to protect the public without unduly burdening the ability to work in the State of Montana.

Executive Order No.1-2026

Public Comment

Members of the public are welcome to comment and leave feedback for this task force. We are also soliciting public comment for workplans for the subcommittees.

Please note that all information received through this form is public record. 

Licensing Reform Task Force Comment Form Public Comment Archive

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Interested Parties List

Meetings, Agendas, and Recordings

Upcoming Meetings Past Meetings

Contact

Erin Sullivan
Policy Analyst
Montana Department of Labor & Industry

Task Force Team Members

Recommendations are due to the Governor on Sept 2nd.

Task Force Team Members and Subcommittees

  • Sarah Swanson, Commissioner, Montana Department of Labor & Industry, Chair
  • Sen. Derek Harvey, D-Butte
  • Sen. Mark Noland, R-Bigfork
  • Sen. Daniel Zolnikov, R-Billings
  • Rep. Jodee Etchart, R-Billings
  • Rep. Josh Seckinger, D-Bozeman
  • Rep. Morgan Thiel, R-Sidney
  • Charlie Brereton, Director, Department of Public Health & Human Services
  • Eric Strauss, Director, Montana Department of Corrections
  • Stacey Anderson, Montana Primary Care Association
  • Tanner Avery, Frontier Institute
  • Dr. Serena Brewer, Montana Medical Association
  • Webb Brown, Montana Dental Association
  • Ed Buttrey, Montana Hospital Association
  • Bob Dean, Montana Contractors Association
  • John Harding, Montana Home Builders Association
  • Jennifer Hensley, Montana Speech Language Hearing Association, Montana Occupational Therapy Association, Montana Academy of Physician Assistants, Montana Optometric Association
  • Troy Jensen, Montana Board of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors
  • Tony King, Montana Pharmacy Association
  • Allen Lloyd, Montana Society of CPAs
  • Brad Longcake, Montana Dental Hygienists’ Association, Montana Funeral Directors Association
  • Kelly Lynch, Montana League of Cities & Towns
  • Kristin McColly, Montana Board of Nursing
  • Amy Nerison, Montana Psychiatric Association, American Medical Response
  • Alison Paul, Montana Legal Services Association
  • Sierra Riesberg, Behavioral Health Alliance of Montana
  • Jason Small, Montana AFL-CIO
  • Gail Tronstad, Public Member, Montana Board of Pharmacy