SB 43 revises Montana court procedures to limit when courts can issue injunctions (court orders stopping a law's enforcement). It specifically prohibits district courts from granting injunctions to stop state laws from being enforced against people not involved in the lawsuit (nonparties), and requires any injunction seeking statewide effect to be appealed directly to the Montana Supreme Court instead of being enforced locally. The bill amends Montana Code sections 27-19-101 and 27-19-103 to clarify these restrictions, directly affecting how courts handle lawsuits challenging state laws. These changes aim to align court practices with established legal principles about injunction scope and nonparty rights.
SB 98 proposes to revise Montana's tax rate for cigarettes intended to be heated but not burned (e.g., e-cigarettes or heat-not-burn products), currently set at 85 cents per 20-cigarette package. The bill would amend existing tax law to adjust this rate, affecting tobacco wholesalers, retailers, and consumers purchasing these products. It also includes provisions for tax-free sales to tribal members on reservations, requiring wholesalers to apply for refunds based on tribal quotas. The bill died in committee on May 23, 2025, and never became law, with its provisions intended to apply to sales after June 30, 2025.
SB 420 limits fees local governments can charge for children's use of parks and sports fields (excluding pools/aquatic centers) to $25 per month or $10 for a 3-day period. It applies to all children under 18 and caps fees for children's sports teams based on individual participants. The bill defines "local government" to include counties, cities, and special districts, and exempts contracts in place before July 1, 2025. This legislation directly affects how municipalities charge for recreational access for minors, aiming to reduce costs for families using public park facilities.
SB 292 amends Montana's product liability law (Section 27-1-719, MCA) to expand seller liability for both physical and financial losses caused by unreasonably dangerous products. It directly affects consumers who suffer economic harm - such as lost wages or business income - from defective products sold by businesses. The bill requires sellers to be liable for such financial harm if the product was defective when sold, while excluding claims related to COVID-19 (per subsection 3(a)) and preserving seller defenses like product misuse or contributory negligence. This change shifts the law from covering only physical harm to explicitly including economic losses, without altering the core liability framework for defective products.
This resolution requests an interim study to examine ways to support home-based and family child care providers in Montana, particularly in rural areas where families struggle to access licensed options. The study will focus on streamlining licensure processes, removing barriers to care, and creating sustainable models for providers. It directly affects rural families seeking child care and home-based providers who face regulatory challenges. The committee must report findings to the 70th Legislature by September 2026. (Note: This is a procedural resolution requesting a study, not a bill with immediate policy changes.)
SB 186 transitions water rights jurisdiction from Montana's Water Court back to local district courts once final decrees are issued for specific basins. It amends Montana Code sections to formally end the Water Court's operations, water divisions, and water judges after adjudication completes, directing district courts to handle enforcement and future cases. The bill reflects the original 1979 intent of Senate Bill 76, which created the Water Court as a temporary system for pre-1973 water rights. It does not change water rights law but shifts administrative responsibility to existing district courts as the Water Court's work concludes. The legislation aims to eliminate the Water Court entirely by transferring its remaining duties to local courts.
SB 504 proposes creating a $75 million grant program to fund permanent supportive housing projects in Montana. The bill would provide grants to nonprofit organizations for constructing, rehabilitating, or acquiring housing that offers long-term affordable leases (for residents earning 60% or less of the area median income) and onsite support services like mental health care, job assistance, and addiction recovery. It allocates $50 million from the general fund and $25 million from a behavioral health fund, with grants disbursed based on project proposals and adherence to specific conditions, including outcome tracking. The program, administered by the Montana Department of Commerce, aims to directly support homeless or at-risk individuals through housing and integrated services, effective July 1, 2025. (Note: The bill died in process in May 2025 and did not become law.)
SB 283 would establish new height and lighting rules for wind energy projects in Montana. It requires all new wind turbine towers built after January 1, 2026, to not exceed 350 feet in height (measured from ground to turbine hub center), and mandates federal aviation-approved aircraft detection lighting systems on towers over 200 feet tall. These rules apply to new wind generation facilities (defined as projects with 25+ megawatt capacity) but do not affect existing towers built before 2026. The bill also provides definitions for key terms like "wind generation facility" and "turbine rotor hub" to clarify the regulations. The proposed changes would directly impact developers and operators planning new wind energy projects in Montana.
SB 499 updates Montana's voter list maintenance rules to specifically require election administrators to verify permanent address changes (not temporary ones) using U.S. Postal Service data. It mandates sending address confirmation notices to voters who've changed their permanent address and moving non-responsive voters to an inactive list after 30 days. This affects voters who move permanently but don't update their address with the U.S. Postal Service, particularly those receiving absentee ballots. The bill also requires biennial address confirmations for absentee ballot voters to continue receiving ballots at their updated permanent address.
SB 225 would create a refundable income tax credit for Montana renters with household income under $45,000. The credit equals the lesser of 4% of rent paid above household income or $500, phasing out completely for incomes of $45,000 or more. It directly affects low-to-moderate-income renters who pay rent in Montana, providing a refund even if they owe no income tax. The bill also amends tax code sections to include this credit in regular review cycles and prohibits claiming it alongside the existing elderly property tax credit.
SB 119 would repeal Montana's existing law (Sections 69-5-201 and 69-5-202, MCA) that gave incumbent electric utilities the right of first refusal when selling utility assets. This means the bill would remove a legal priority allowing current utility companies to be offered the chance to purchase their own assets before other buyers. The change would directly affect incumbent electric utilities by eliminating this specific advantage in asset sales. The bill's core policy change is to allow new or competing utility providers to bid directly for assets without the incumbent utility having this automatic right. The bill was introduced but died in committee in May 2025 without becoming law.
SB 141 requires new Montana legislators elected or appointed for the first time on or after July 1, 2025, to join the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) defined contribution plan as their default retirement plan. It does not affect current legislators or those taking office before July 2025. The bill specifies that new legislators without existing retirement system membership must enroll in PERS' defined contribution plan, while existing inactive/retired members have options to return to their previous system or join PERS' defined contribution plan. This changes the default retirement system for new legislators but does not alter contribution rates or benefits for current members.
