SB 299 requires Montana school districts to adopt policies ensuring parents have full access to their child's education records and must obtain written parental consent before certain instruction or presentations. It mandates at least 5 days' notice and consent for specific educational content, creates procedures for parents to object to lessons, and establishes a process for filing complaints about school practices. The bill amends Montana Code sections 40-6-701, 703, and 707 to strengthen parental rights regarding education, health records, and school activities, while allowing the Attorney General to sue districts for violations. These changes directly affect parents, school boards, and school districts by altering how schools communicate with and seek permission from families.
SB 153 would have increased Montana's limits for video gambling machines, raising the maximum amount playable per game from $2 to $4 and the maximum value of free games or credits awarded per game from $800 to $1,199. The bill directly affected video gambling machine operators and players by changing these financial limits. Key provisions included amending existing law to set these new caps and requiring operators to pay cash for player credits shown on valid vouchers. The bill died in committee in May 2025 and never became law, so these changes were never implemented.
SB 559 establishes a formal appeals process for individuals or groups who disagree with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality's (DEQ) decisions on permits for air quality, water quality, or mining activities (including coal, uranium, and metal mines). It requires a $100 fee and a 30-day filing deadline to appeal to either a DEQ board or a district court in the county where the project is proposed. The bill specifies that appeals for projects costing over $1 million must be prioritized in court. This procedural bill, which did not become law (it "died in process" in 2025), would have changed how permit disputes are handled but did not alter environmental standards or permit requirements.
SB 210 would eliminate the statutory requirement for Montana's Board of Regents to include a student regent in its membership. Currently, the law mandates one seat for a full-time college student with a one-year term, appointed through a nomination process. The bill deletes this provision, meaning the Board would no longer need to appoint a student member. A transition plan requires the governor to appoint a replacement for the vacated position until January 2030, after which regular 7-year appointments would resume.
SB 294 requires Montana's public utilities (like electricity providers) to create a detailed plan by May 2026 showing how they will source 100% of their retail electricity from renewable energy (including hydroelectric power) and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The plan must outline specific options, timelines, and challenges for achieving these goals, aligning with Montana's constitutional duty to protect the environment. Utilities must submit these plans to the Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee by June 2026, which will review them, gather public input, and recommend changes to the next legislature. The bill takes immediate effect upon passage but is currently inactive after dying in committee.
SB 130 would revise Montana's recall laws by eliminating the requirement for petitioners to state reasons for recalling an elected official. Instead, recall petitions could be filed without any justification, and if optional reasons (limited to 200 words) were included, voters - not courts - would decide if they were sufficient. The bill also updates petition forms to include space for voluntary reasons and mandates that the official being recalled can submit a 200-word response for inclusion on the ballot. These changes apply to both elective and appointive public officials across Montana's state and local governments.
SB 250 would revise Montana's Office of the Child and Family Ombudsman by adding specific staff positions (two intake specialists, two associate ombudsmen, and two research analysts) and expanding its duties. It requires the ombudsman to provide timely responses to requests, actively assist individuals with unresolved issues, and forward misconduct reports to the Department of Justice or the relevant agency. The bill also mandates the ombudsman to issue twice-yearly systemic recommendations about child protection practices to the Department of Public Health and Human Services, which must respond within 60 days. These changes aim to strengthen oversight of child protection cases and departmental procedures.
This bill creates a formal process for appointing a "benefits custodian" to manage workers' compensation payments for minors under 18 or adults legally declared unable to manage their own affairs. It allows any party (like a claimant or insurer) to petition a workers' compensation judge directly for this appointment, without needing to first resolve other payment disputes. The judge would then oversee how benefits are received and distributed on behalf of these vulnerable individuals. This amendment clarifies and expands existing Montana law to ensure proper handling of payments for those who cannot manage them themselves.
SB 267 (Montana Senate Bill 267) creates a 50% tax credit for Montana taxpayers who make charitable donations to certified public infrastructure projects, capped at $500,000 annually. The credit applies to donations for government-owned facilities like health clinics, senior centers, libraries, and museums that serve public educational, health, or civic needs. Taxpayers must receive certification from the state for the project, and any unused credit can be carried forward for up to three years. The bill died in the legislative process on May 23, 2025, after being tabled in committee and missing a deadline.
SB 530 would require Montana insurers to provide specific reasons for nonrenewing or canceling policies, rather than vague justifications. It mandates 90 days' notice for cancellations (up from 45 days in some sections), requires insurers to disclose the basis for nonrenewal upon written request within 60 days, and gives policyholders a 21-day window to correct issues that led to cancellation. The bill also prohibits insurers from using simple coverage inquiries (not actual claims) as a reason to deny renewal or increase premiums. These changes directly affect policyholders seeking to maintain insurance coverage and insurers making renewal decisions. The bill died in committee during the 2025 legislative session.
SB 469 would revise Montana's mental health service structure by updating rules for local "service area authorities" that manage community mental health programs. It requires the state Department of Mental Health to provide each service area authority with an annual contract covering administrative costs, crisis services, and community events, while also supporting at least three such authorities. The bill mandates that service area boards be led by majority consumer/family members, establishes new reporting requirements, and removes unfunded mandates requiring local governments to cover costs without state funding. This directly affects local mental health providers, county governments, and communities receiving mental health services across Montana.
SB 66 proposed updating Montana's legal definitions related to judicial conduct and court procedures. It revised key terms like "bias," "conflict of interest," "judicial officers" (including all judges and justices of the peace), and "open-mindedness" to clarify expectations for fairness in court. The bill did not create new laws or policies but aimed to standardize terminology used across Montana's judiciary. It directly affected all judicial officers statewide by defining how their conduct and decisions would be assessed under existing law. The bill died in committee in May 2025 without becoming law.
