Prohibit definitions in administrative rules

SB 401 prohibits Montana state agencies from creating new definitions in administrative rules when existing statutory definitions already cover the same subject. It requires agencies to cite existing statutory definitions instead of adopting new ones, and mandates that agencies propose new definitions through legislative bills (to be submitted to interim committees) rather than via rulemaking. This directly affects state agencies that draft regulations, shifting authority over definitions from agencies to the legislature. The bill was introduced in 2025 but died in process on May 23, 2025, after being tabled in committee and missing deadlines. Its key provision would have required agencies to remove existing definitions from rules and reference statutes, with new definitions only allowed for clarification after legislative proposal.