SB 224 Montana Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Create indigenous peoples day

SB 224 establishes Indigenous Peoples' Day as a legal holiday in Montana. It amends Section 1-1-216, MCA, to designate the second Monday in October as "Indigenous Peoples' Day and Columbus Day," adding it to the state's list of official legal holidays. This change affects all Montana residents and state operations that observe legal holidays. The bill also includes standard provisions for how holidays falling on weekends are observed and requires the Secretary of State to notify the Montana Supreme Court, local governments, and tribal governments of this new act.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Jan 28, 2025 Signed May 13, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB0224_2(10).pdf SB0224_X.pdf · 3 edits
MINOR
This bill establishes Indigenous Peoples' Day as an official legal holiday in Montana, replacing Columbus Day. The change also adds a new section requiring the Secretary of State to notify tribal governments of the new holiday. This matters because it formally recognizes Indigenous cultures and history in state law while removing the colonial reference of Columbus Day.
Scope change
The bill expands legal holidays in Montana by adding Indigenous Peoples' Day and removing Columbus Day as a separate designation, while also adding notification requirements to tribal governments.
REQUIREMENT

Added Indigenous Peoples' Day as a legal holiday on the second Monday in October, replacing Columbus Day

Added new requirement for Secretary of State to notify each federally recognized tribal government in Montana

DEFINITION

Modified Section 1-1-216 of Montana Code Annotated to include Indigenous Peoples' Day alongside Columbus Day as a single combined holiday designation

Floor votes · Senate Feb 26, 2025 · House Apr 10, 2025

How they voted

473
Passed
Total votes 50
Feb 26, 2025
D Democratic18
18 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican32
29 Yea 3 Nay
90% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
38
Key actions
9
Committee
6
May 9, 2025
Signed into law
(S) Signed by Governor
upper
Apr 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Signed by Speaker
lower
Apr 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Signed by President
upper
Apr 10, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (81-17-2)
house
Mar 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) State Administration
lower
Mar 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) State Administration
lower
Feb 27, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) State Administration
lower
Feb 26, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (47-3)
senate
Feb 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) State Administration
upper
Feb 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) State Administration
upper
Jan 29, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) State Administration
upper
Jan 28, 2025
Introduced
(S) Introduced
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Shane Morigeau
Shane Morigeau
DDemocratic
MT
50