Technology

died · Montana · Legislature May 26, 2025

LC 1335: Prohibit digital currency

LC 1335, titled "Prohibit digital currency," was a proposed bill aiming to ban the use of digital currencies within the state. It was drafted in November 2024 but never advanced beyond the initial drafting stage. The bill's draft was officially marked as "dead in process" on May 26, 2025, indicating it did not proceed to committee review or voting. No specific mechanisms or affected groups were defined, as the bill was withdrawn before substantive consideration. This proposal did not become law or impact any current policies.

Topics ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBill explicitly prohibits digital currency, directly restricting a technology use per its title and summary.95% confidence

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died · Montana · Legislature May 26, 2025

LC 1312: Prohibit facial recognition technology at traffic lights

This bill (LC 1312) proposed banning the use of facial recognition technology at traffic lights. It would have directly affected local traffic management systems and public infrastructure operators using such technology. The bill died in the legislative process during drafting (2025-05-26) and never became law. No policy changes were implemented as a result.

Topics ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBill explicitly bans facial recognition technology at traffic lights, directly restricting its use in public infrastructure per the summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence Consumer Data Protection Data Privacy

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died · Montana · Legislature May 26, 2025

LC 1334: Resolution against digital currency

This non-binding resolution expressed opposition to digital currency adoption but died in committee without advancing to a vote. It did not create new laws, impose requirements, or directly affect any individuals, businesses, or government programs. As a procedural resolution (not a substantive bill), it contained no policy mechanisms or implementation details. The resolution was formally withdrawn from consideration on May 26, 2025, after remaining in draft status for over six months.

Topics ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBill explicitly opposes digital currency adoption as a non-binding resolution, but lacks policy mechanisms and was withdrawn; no substantive impact.60% confidence

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died · Montana · Legislature May 26, 2025

LC 1580: Expand child labor laws to include digital labor practices

Bill LC 1580, titled "Expand child labor laws to include digital labor practices," proposed to update existing child labor regulations to cover digital work performed by minors, such as creating social media content, participating in online gigs, or engaging in digital content creation. The bill would have required businesses and platforms employing minors in digital work to comply with age restrictions and hour limits similar to traditional child labor laws. However, the bill died in the legislative process on May 26, 2025, and did not become law, so no policy changes were implemented.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands child labor protections to digital work, strengthening minor workers' rights under Labor & Employment regulations.90% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBill imposes restrictions on digital labor practices (e.g., content creation, online gigs) by minors via age/hour limits, limiting technology use in labor contexts rather than advancing tech policy.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Child Labor Gig Economy Labor Standards Online Safety Social Media

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died · Montana · Legislature May 26, 2025

LC 1568: Prohibit facial recognition attendance systems

This bill (LC 1568) proposed prohibiting the use of facial recognition technology for tracking attendance in public schools or government buildings. It would have directly affected school districts, state agencies, and public venues currently using such systems for attendance monitoring. The bill died in committee in May 2025 without becoming law, so no policy changes were implemented. It did not advance beyond the drafting stage, meaning no specific mechanisms or provisions were enacted.

Topics ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBill explicitly prohibits facial recognition technology use in schools/government, restricting a specific tech application for privacy protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Emerging Technology

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 192: Provide for digital advertising tax

SB 192 would have imposed a 10% tax on digital advertising revenue generated within Montana by companies with worldwide annual digital advertising revenue exceeding $25 million. It directly affects large digital advertisers (like major tech or social media platforms) operating in Montana, taxing only the portion of their revenue derived from ads served to Montana users. The tax would be calculated using an apportionment method based on Montana ad revenue relative to total U.S. ad revenue, with returns due annually by April 15. All collected revenue would have been deposited into Montana's general fund, as specified in the bill's provisions. The bill died in committee in May 2025 and was not enacted.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes new tax on large digital advertisers to generate state revenue, directly advancing fiscal management and tax policy as per bill's purpose.95% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBill imposes 10% tax on digital ad revenue of large tech platforms, restricting their revenue streams as a regulatory measure.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Social Media

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signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 631: Revise student online protection laws related to postsecondary opportunities

HB 631 revises student data privacy laws by amending the definition of "K-12 school purposes" in Section 20-7-1324, MCA. This change means that the existing data privacy protections for K-12 online applications will no longer apply to courses taken for postsecondary (college) credit. It also excludes work-based learning courses from these specific K-12 data privacy regulations. This bill aims to remove barriers to postsecondary opportunities by clarifying which educational activities fall under K-12 online application privacy rules.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves K-12 data privacy barriers for college credit courses, facilitating postsecondary access per bill's stated aim.90% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyExcludes postsecondary courses from K-12 data privacy rules, weakening protections for student data in college-credit courses.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Data Privacy

signed · Montana · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 25: Revise election laws regarding disclosure requirements for the use of AI in elections

SB 25 regulates the use of artificial intelligence (AI) generated content, specifically "deepfakes," in election communications within Montana. It prohibits individuals, political entities, and corporations from distributing deepfakes of candidates or political parties in election communications within 60 days before an election. This prohibition applies unless the communication includes a clear disclosure stating that the content has been significantly edited by AI and depicts false speech or conduct. The bill outlines specific formatting requirements for this disclosure across various media, including print, television, and internet communications. It also provides for injunctive relief, damages, and penalties for violations.

Topics ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyRestricts AI deepfakes in elections without disclosure, limiting technology use in political communications90% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

signed · Montana · Senate May 16, 2025

SB 413: Criminalize disclosure of certain explicit AI-generated media

Senate Bill 413 creates the crime of "disclosing explicit synthetic media," also known as deepfakes, directly affecting individuals who create or share AI-generated content and protecting those falsely depicted. The bill makes it an offense to knowingly share synthetic media portraying an identifiable person engaged in sexual conduct or depicting intimate body parts without their consent, if it would cause substantial emotional distress. It also criminalizes disclosing such media with intent to harass or threaten, or possessing and threatening to disclose it for extortion. Penalties include fines and jail time, with increased penalties for repeat offenses or if the depicted person is under 18, though exceptions exist for reporting crimes, research, or legal proceedings.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new criminal offense for non-consensual deepfake disclosure, expanding criminalization under Crimes/Criminal Procedure subjects95% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyCriminalizes non-consensual deepfake sharing, restricting AI media use to prevent harm without advancing tech innovation or privacy protections.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence