Sen. Jeremy Trebas

Maddy summarySB 349 would have transferred authority over air and water quality regulations for existing fossil fuel power plants in Montana from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), making DEQ the sole permitting authority for these facilities. It claims federal EPA rules lack authority to restrict plant operations without requiring "significant economic investment" from plant owners and utilities. The bill includes a contingency that would void it if the EPA repeals two specific 2024 rules (89 Fed. Reg. 38508 and 39798). This bill died in committee in May 2025 and never became law.

Maddy summarySB 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.

Maddy summarySB 388 modifies Montana's privacy law to allow individuals to record conversations with elected or appointed public officials or public employees while they are performing official duties. This exception applies without requiring consent from the official, as long as one party provides a warning before recording begins. The bill specifically amends Section 45-8-213 to clarify that such recordings are not considered illegal under the "violating privacy in communications" statute. It directly affects citizens seeking to document government interactions, while maintaining existing restrictions on hidden recordings in other contexts. The law does not change penalties for other privacy violations but explicitly permits this specific type of recording during official duties.

Maddy summarySB 259 revises Montana's child safety laws by defining "imminent danger" as a situation where a child faces a high probability of death or serious injury, clarifying that factors like a parent's disability or a positive drug test alone do not meet this standard. The bill requires child protection agencies to provide parents with detailed notifications within 24 hours of a child's removal, including the reason for removal, legal rights, and information about court hearings. It also mandates that agencies make reasonable efforts to protect children without removing them from a parent who is a victim of domestic violence (such as assault or strangulation), while providing referrals to domestic violence programs. Additionally, the bill prohibits placing children in jail and requires law enforcement to share body camera footage with the court at the first hearing if involved in a child's removal.

Maddy summarySB 199 revises Montana's Medicaid expansion program (the Montana HELP Act) by introducing monthly "taxpayer integrity fees" for participants meeting specific asset thresholds. It requires fees based on excess real estate value ($5,000+ above homestead limits), vehicle equity ($20,000+ combined value), or agricultural land taxable value ($1,500+ annually), with a base fee of $100 plus $4 per $1,000 over limits. The bill also updates community engagement rules, mandating 80 monthly hours of work-related activities for 19-55-year-olds (with exemptions for medical conditions, caregivers, students, and others). These changes directly affect Medicaid expansion participants owning significant assets or required to meet work participation standards.

Maddy summarySB 549 would have provided Montana taxpayers with a $1,250 annual income tax credit for eligible K-12 education expenses paid for children in public schools. It directly affected parents, guardians, and teachers of public school students by covering costs like tuition, textbooks, online learning programs, educational therapies, and school supplies. The credit would apply to expenses paid to public schools or specific accredited/non-accredited providers (with disclosure), but could not exceed a taxpayer’s total tax liability. The bill aimed to offset rising education costs for families in Montana’s public education system. (Note: This bill died in committee in May 2025 and did not become law.)

Maddy summarySB 528 would allow landlords, property managers, merchants, vendors, creditors, and similar businesses to charge credit card transaction fees up to 3% of the transaction amount, but only if they clearly disclose the fee before the transaction completes. The bill directly affects these businesses and their customers by setting a legal cap on fees and requiring upfront transparency. Key provisions include a 3% maximum fee limit (unless otherwise agreed in a contract) and mandatory pre-transaction disclosure, while excluding debt collectors from these rules. The bill aims to standardize fee practices without creating new obligations beyond the specified cap and disclosure requirement.

Maddy summarySB 348 revises laws related to sexual assault, primarily by increasing penalties for offenders. The bill raises the maximum fines and imprisonment terms for first, second, and third or subsequent convictions of sexual assault. A key provision mandates that individuals convicted of a second sexual assault offense must register as a sexual offender. These changes directly affect individuals convicted of sexual assault by strengthening legal consequences for the crime.

Maddy summarySB 193 changes the appointment authority for Montana's Attorneys' Examining Board from the current "supreme court governor" (a likely reference to the supreme court's role) to solely the governor. This procedural bill modifies Section 37-61-102, MCA, to specify that the governor appoints board members (capped at seven) without requiring court involvement. It directly affects the process for selecting the seven-member board responsible for administering bar examinations. The change streamlines the appointment mechanism without altering the board's duties or exam procedures.

Maddy summarySB 444 revises criminal procedure laws related to search warrants. It amends existing law to require law enforcement officers to show a search warrant to a known lawful occupant of a property when a search is being conducted. This change ensures that occupants present during a search are directly presented with the warrant. The bill maintains the requirement for officers to provide a copy of the warrant and a receipt for any seized property.