HB 531 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Revise laws related to legislative rules

HB 531 establishes that the state legislature holds the sole authority to create, enforce, interpret, and manage the rules governing its own proceedings. It prohibits judicial officers from reviewing or interpreting these legislative rules. An exception is made, allowing for judicial review if a legislative rule potentially conflicts with the Montana Constitution or the United States Constitution. The bill defines "judicial officer" and became effective immediately upon passage and approval.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 18, 2025 Signed May 5, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB0531_X(3).pdf HB0531_X(4).pdf · 3 edits
MINOR
This bill clarifies the Montana legislature's exclusive authority to create and manage its own rules without judicial interference, with a specific exception for rules that conflict with state or federal constitutions. The changes refine language to make the constitutional exception clearer and remove redundant text.
Scope change
The scope of judicial review over legislative rules was narrowed to only apply when rules conflict with constitutions, rather than potentially conflicting with them.
REQUIREMENT

Changed the threshold for judicial review from 'potentially conflict' to 'conflicts' with constitutions, limiting when courts can intervene.

TECHNICAL

Adjusted capitalization in section headers from 'EXCEPTION' to 'exception' for consistency.

Removed redundant explanatory text about constitutional conflicts in subsection (2).

Floor votes · Senate Apr 10, 2025 · House Mar 7, 2025

How they voted

2919
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 50
Apr 10, 2025
D Democratic18
18 Nay
100% Nay
R Republican32
29 Yea 1 Nay 2
90% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
37
Key actions
9
Committee
6
May 1, 2025
Signed into law
(H) Signed by Governor
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Signed by President
upper
Apr 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Signed by Speaker
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (29-19-2)
senate
Mar 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Judiciary
upper
Mar 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Judiciary
upper
Mar 14, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Judiciary
upper
Mar 7, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (59-40-1)
house
Feb 25, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Judiciary
lower
Feb 25, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Judiciary
lower
Feb 18, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Judiciary
lower
Feb 18, 2025
Introduced
(H) Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Steve Fitzpatrick
Steve Fitzpatrick
RRepublican
MT
24