# Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-307: 37-1-307 Board authority > Montana · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-307 ## Section - **Citation:** Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-307 - **Heading:** 37-1-307 Board authority - **Jurisdiction:** Montana - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** MT Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Part 3 / Section 37-1-307 ## Text 37-1-307 . Board authority. (1) A board may: (a) hold hearings as provided in this part; (b) issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses or the production of documents and administer oaths in connection with investigations and disciplinary proceedings under this part. Subpoenas must be relevant to the complaint and must be signed by a member of the board. Subpoenas may be enforced as provided in 2-4-104 . (c) authorize depositions and other discovery procedures under the Montana Rules of Civil Procedure in connection with an investigation, hearing, or proceeding held under this part; (d) establish a screening panel to: (i) review nonroutine license applications to determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe that an applicant has violated a particular statute, rule, or standard justifying restriction or denial of licensure; and (ii) determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe that a licensee has violated a particular statute, rule, or standard justifying disciplinary proceedings; (e) grant or deny a license within 45 calendar days of receiving a complete application, including the confidential criminal justice information report, and notify an applicant within 10 days of receiving an application of any deficiencies for an incomplete application or provide information as to any exigent circumstances that may delay issuing a license in the 45 days; and (f) on a finding of unprofessional conduct by an applicant or license holder, impose a sanction provided by this chapter. (2) A screening panel is an agency for the purposes of summary suspensions under 2-4-631 . A screening panel shall specify in writing the particular statute, rule, or standard that the panel believes may have been violated. The screening panel shall also state in writing the reasonable grounds that support the panel's finding that a violation may have occurred. The assigned board members may not subsequently participate in a hearing of the case. The final decision on the case must be made by a majority of the board members who did not serve on the screening panel for the case. (3) Each board is designated as a criminal justice agency within the meaning of 44-5-103 for the purpose of obtaining confidential criminal justice information, as defined in 44-5-103 , regarding the board's licensees and license applicants and regarding possible unlicensed practice, but the board may not record or retain any confidential criminal justice information without complying with the provisions of the Montana Criminal Justice Information Act of 1979, Title 44, chapter 5. (4) A board may contact and request information from the department of justice, which is designated as a criminal justice agency within the meaning of 44-5-103 , for the purpose of obtaining criminal history record information regarding the board's licensees and license applicants and regarding possible unlicensed practice. (5) (a) A board that is statutorily authorized to obtain a criminal record background report as a prerequisite to the issuance of a license shall require the applicant to submit a full set of fingerprints for the purpose of fingerprint checks by the Montana department of justice and the federal bureau of investigation. (b) The applicant shall sign a release of information to the board and is responsible to the department of justice for the payment of all fees associated with the criminal record background report. (c) On completion of the criminal record background check, the department of justice shall forward all criminal history record information, as defined in 44-5-103 , in any jurisdiction to the board as authorized in 44-5-303 . sign a release of information to the board and is responsible to the department of justice for the payment of all fees associated with the criminal record background report. (c) On completion of the criminal record background check, the department of justice shall forward all criminal history record information, as defined in 44-5-103 , in any jurisdiction to the board as authorized in 44-5-303 . (d) At the conclusion of any background check required by this section, the board must receive the criminal record background report but may not receive the fingerprint card of the applicant. On receipt of the criminal record background report, the department of justice shall promptly destroy the fingerprint card of the applicant. [(6) Each board shall require a license applicant to provide the applicant's social security number as a part of the application. Each board shall keep the social security number from this source confidential, except that a board may provide the number to the department of public health and human services for use in administering Title IV-D of the Social Security Act.] (Bracketed language terminates on occurrence of contingency--sec. 1, Ch. 27, L. 1999.) ## Nearby sections - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-301 37-1-301 Purpose](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-301.md) - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-302 37-1-302 Definitions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-302.md) - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-303 37-1-303 Scope](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-303.md) - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-304 37-1-304 Licensure by endorsement -- reciprocity](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-304.md) - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-306 37-1-306 Continuing education -- certification -- other qualifications for continued licensure -- audit](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-306.md) - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-307 37-1-307 Board authority](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-307.md) - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-308 37-1-308 Unprofessional conduct -- complaint -- investigation -- immunity -- exceptions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-308.md) - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-309 37-1-309 Notice -- request for hearing -- method of communication and service -- fee](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-309.md) - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-310 37-1-310 Hearing -- adjudicative procedures](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-310.md) - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-311 37-1-311 Findings of fact -- order -- report](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-311.md) - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-312 37-1-312 Sanctions -- stay -- costs -- stipulations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-312.md) - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-313 37-1-313 Appeal](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-313.md) - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-314 37-1-314 Reinstatement](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-314.md) - [Mont. Code Ann. § 37-1-315 37-1-315 Enforcement of fine](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-315.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_MT_T37_C1_P3_S37-1-307. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.