HB 475 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Regulate restraints on women while giving childbirth

House Bill 475 restricts the use of physical restraints on inmates known to be pregnant during labor and delivery. It generally prohibits restraints unless there are extraordinary circumstances, such as an individualized determination that the inmate is a flight risk or poses a clear threat to themselves or others. Even in these cases, leg or waist restraints are strictly prohibited. The bill also requires that any applied restraints be the least restrictive necessary and removed when the risk is mitigated or at the request of a healthcare professional.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 12, 2025 Signed May 5, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB0475_X(2).pdf HB0475_X(3).pdf · 2 edits
MINOR
The bill text shows minor formatting adjustments and the addition of a signature line dated 2025, indicating a procedural update rather than a substantive policy change. The core restriction on using restraints on pregnant inmates during labor and delivery remains unchanged, as the critical legal language regarding 'extraordinary circumstances' was preserved in both versions.
TECHNICAL

Added a signature line with the year 2025 and removed the 'END' marker, updating the document's procedural status.

Adjusted the spacing and alignment of the bill title and sponsor names, which are cosmetic formatting changes.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 14, 2025 · House Feb 25, 2025

How they voted

462
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 50
Apr 14, 2025
D Democratic18
17 Yea 1
94% Yea
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
40
Key actions
11
Committee
8
Amendments
1
May 1, 2025
Signed into law
(H) Signed by Governor
lower
Apr 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Signed by President
upper
Apr 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Signed by Speaker
lower
Apr 14, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (46-2-2)
senate
Apr 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Judiciary
upper
Apr 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Judiciary
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Taken from Table in Committee - (S) Judiciary
upper
Mar 21, 2025
Amended
(S) Tabled in Committee - (S) Judiciary
upper
Mar 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Judiciary
upper
Mar 3, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Judiciary
upper
Feb 25, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (100-0)
house
Feb 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Judiciary
lower
Feb 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Judiciary
lower
Feb 13, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Judiciary
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Introduced
(H) Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of James Reavis
James Reavis
DDemocratic
MT
47