SB 300 Montana Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Providing protections for service dogs and handlers

SB 300 provides new legal protections for service animals and their handlers. The bill establishes specific offenses for harassing, harming, or taking unauthorized control of a service animal. Individuals convicted of these offenses face misdemeanor penalties and are required to pay full restitution for all related damages and expenses incurred by the handler. Additionally, it amends existing state laws to include service animals in definitions related to vicious dogs and owner liability for dog bites.
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 11, 2025 Signed May 13, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB0300_1(5).pdf SB0300_X.pdf · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended to remove the version number (SB 300.1) and update the title to explicitly list new offenses regarding unauthorized control of service animals. The core legal text remains substantively identical, defining harassment, harm, and unauthorized control as criminal offenses while establishing restitution for handlers.
TECHNICAL

Removed the version number '1' from the bill title and header.

Adjusted line breaks and indentation in the text to align with standard legislative formatting.

DEFINITION

Updated the title to explicitly include 'unauthorized control of a service animal' as a distinct offense alongside harassment and harm.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 5, 2025 · House Apr 9, 2025

How they voted

472
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 50
Mar 5, 2025
D Democratic18
18 Yea
100% 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
39
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 9, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (97-0-3)
house
Mar 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Human Services
lower
Mar 25, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Human Services
lower
Mar 5, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (47-2-1)
senate
Mar 5, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Human Services
lower
Mar 1, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety
upper
Mar 1, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety
upper
Feb 13, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety
upper
Feb 11, 2025
Introduced
(S) Introduced
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Denley Loge
Denley Loge
RRepublican
MT
45