HB 332 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Generally revise youth court laws

HB 332 revises youth court laws by expanding the types of offenses for which youth may be tried directly in district court, rather than youth court. It specifies age thresholds for these offenses, which include serious crimes like homicide, sexual assault, and drug distribution. The bill allows a youth to waive the right to a transfer hearing, which determines if their case should move back to youth court. It also details the criteria for a district court to transfer a case back to youth court and outlines sentencing and detention procedures for youth prosecuted in the adult system.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Jan 28, 2025 Signed May 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB0332_X.pdf HB0332_X(1).pdf · 1 edit
MINOR
The bill text shows a minor formatting adjustment where the word 'AND' in the list of amended statutes was capitalized. This change does not alter the legal substance, scope, or applicability of the bill, which remains focused on adjusting laws related to consent decrees and amending specific sections of the Montana Code Annotated.
TECHNICAL

Capitalization of the word 'AND' in the list of amended statutes was changed from lowercase to uppercase, which is a stylistic correction with no impact on the law's meaning.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 11, 2025 · House Feb 19, 2025

How they voted

3018
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 50
Apr 11, 2025
D Democratic18
1 Yea 16 Nay 1
88% Nay
R Republican32
29 Yea 2 Nay 1
90% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
41
Key actions
9
Committee
6
May 5, 2025
Signed into law
(H) Signed by Governor
lower
Apr 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Signed by President
upper
Apr 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Signed by Speaker
lower
Apr 11, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (30-18-2)
senate
Apr 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Judiciary
upper
Apr 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Judiciary
upper
Mar 1, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Judiciary
upper
Feb 19, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (66-34)
house
Feb 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Judiciary
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Judiciary
lower
Jan 29, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Judiciary
lower
Jan 28, 2025
Introduced
(H) Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Bill Mercer
Bill Mercer
RRepublican
MT
52