SB 265 Montana Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Revise cryptocurrency laws to create Financial Freedom and Innovation Act

This bill, known as the "Financial Freedom and Innovation Act," revises state cryptocurrency laws. It prohibits state governing authorities from using or testing central bank digital currency, while explicitly permitting individuals and businesses to accept digital assets for payments and engage with blockchain protocols, such as operating nodes or staking. The bill also establishes certification requirements and sales limits for network token issuers to qualify for exemptions from state securities laws.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 4, 2025 Signed May 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB0265_2(14).pdf SB0265_X.pdf · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was reformatted from a draft version to an enrolled, final version, removing internal legislative markers like page numbers and amendment brackets. The core policy text regarding cryptocurrency regulations remains substantively unchanged, though minor phrasing adjustments were made to clarify the commissioner's authority and update section references.
Scope change
No change in the bill's scope or applicability; the text covers the same financial freedom and innovation provisions in both versions.
TECHNICAL

Removed internal legislative markers, page headers, and bracketed amendment indicators to finalize the document for official printing.

REQUIREMENT

Minor phrasing adjustments were made to clarify that the commissioner, rather than the attorney general, handles enforcement proceedings for false claims.

Updated references to align with current legal titles, changing 'commissioner of securities and insurance' to simply 'commissioner' where appropriate.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 4, 2025 · House Apr 11, 2025

How they voted

446
Passed
Total votes 50
Mar 4, 2025
D Democratic18
14 Yea 4 Nay
77% Yea
R Republican32
30 Yea 2 Nay
93% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
40
Key actions
9
Committee
6
May 5, 2025
Signed into law
(S) Signed by Governor
upper
Apr 25, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Signed by Speaker
lower
Apr 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Signed by President
upper
Apr 11, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (70-29-1)
house
Mar 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Energy, Technology and Federal Relations
lower
Mar 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Energy, Technology and Federal Relations
lower
Mar 5, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Energy, Technology and Federal Relations
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (44-6)
senate
Feb 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Energy, Technology & Federal Relations
upper
Feb 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Energy, Technology & Federal Relations
upper
Feb 5, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Energy, Technology & Federal Relations
upper
Feb 4, 2025
Introduced
(S) Introduced
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Daniel Zolnikov
Daniel Zolnikov
RRepublican
MT
22