Generally revise student data laws to enhance privacy
SB 118 gives Montana students and parents the right to request deletion of their education data from the statewide K-12 data system. It requires the state education office to delete data within 45 days of a verified request, unless retention is needed for federal/state funding, contracts, or legal orders. The bill mandates accessible request methods (online, mail, email) without requiring account creation and requires annual reporting on deletions. It also updates data system rules to align with privacy standards, including prohibiting social security numbers as student identifiers.
Bill status
died
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Failed
Apr 2025
Governor
Introduced Jan 9, 2025
Last action May 23, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons
What changed between versions
SB0118_2(10).pdf
→
SB0118_3.pdf
·
4 edits
MODERATE
This bill revision clarifies the official name of the data system to the 'K-12 Student Data System' and expands the reasons the state can keep student data even after a deletion request. It now allows retention for 'reporting' purposes in addition to funding and legal requirements, and it adds a requirement for the board to report annually on how many deletion requests are made and fulfilled.
Scope change
The scope of the data system's name was narrowed to specifically include 'Student', and the scope of data retention exemptions was broadened to include reporting obligations.
DEFINITION
The title and text now explicitly define the system as the 'K-12 Student Data System' instead of the broader 'Statewide K-12 Data System'.
REQUIREMENT
The list of exceptions for keeping student data was expanded to include compliance with 'reporting' purposes, not just funding or legal orders.
A new requirement mandates that the governing board must submit an annual report detailing the number of deletion requests received and the number of data deletions performed.
The methods for submitting deletion requests were slightly adjusted, removing the specific mention of the Board's website in favor of the Office of Public Instruction's website.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 4, 2025 · House Apr 28, 2025
How they voted
49–1
Passed
Total votes 50
Mar 4, 2025
D
Democratic18
100% Yea
R
Republican32
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
48
Key actions
7
Committee
10
Amendments
1
Apr 28, 2025
Vote failed
House Vote: fail (33-67)
house
Apr 10, 2025
Amended
(H) Tabled in Committee - (H) Appropriations
lower
Apr 8, 2025
Committee
(H) Rereferred to Committee - (H) Appropriations
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Education
lower
Mar 31, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Education
lower
Mar 5, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Education
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (49-1)
senate
Mar 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Finance and Claims
upper
Mar 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Finance and Claims
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Committee
(S) Rereferred to Committee - (S) Finance and Claims
upper
Feb 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Education and Cultural Resources
upper
Feb 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Education and Cultural Resources
upper
Jan 15, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Education and Cultural Resources
upper
Jan 9, 2025
Introduced
(S) Introduced
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Daniel Zolnikov
RRepublican
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