The session as of March 1
613
House bills introduced
Passed by House
245
Passed by Senate
25
Passed through Governor
16
372
Senate bills introduced
Passed by Senate
181
Passed by House
46
Passed through Governor
22
136
Resolutions and referendum proposals introduced
Passed
49
1,121 total bills and resolutions introduced
How bills move through the Legislature
Key bills
Major legislation identified by MTFP reporters. Where ambiguous, official bill titles are annotated with plain language summaries.
Governor’s budget
HB 2: General Appropriations Act Primary state budget bill | First chamber In committee |
SB 159: Personal Income Tax Relief Act Reduces rate in the state’s top income tax bracket | Second chamber In committee |
SB 181: Corporate Tax Modernization Act Adjusts how income tax is calculated for multi-state corporations | First chamber In committee |
SB 182: Generally revise laws on state finance, reducing tax rate if conditions met Enacts future tax cuts in the event of budget surpluses | Second chamber In committee |
SB 184: Montana Entrepreneur Magnet Act Exempts shareholders of Montana-grown businesses from paying capital gains taxes on stock options | Second chamber In committee |
HB 252: Non-refundable tax credit for employer-paid education of trade professions Tax credits to encourage employer-funded trade education | Second chamber In committee |
HB 303: Revise business equipment tax laws: Business Investment Grows (BIG) Jobs Act Exempts more businesses from paying equipment tax | Second chamber On floor |
Democratic alternatives
SB 10: Providing for circuit breaker income tax credit for property taxes paid Creates a property tax “circuit breaker” credit to lighten tax burden on lower-income residents | First chamber Tabled in committee |
HB 424: Revise individual income tax laws Creates new top income tax bracket, expands Earned Income Tax Credit for working families | First chamber Tabled in committee |
COVID-19 response
SB 65: Revise civil liability laws Protects businesses from some COVID-19-related lawsuits | Passed Became Law |
HB 121: Require elected official approval of local health board and officer actions | Second chamber Transmitted |
HB 230: Generally revise emergency and disaster laws Lets Legislature weigh in on governor’s emergency declarations | Second chamber Transmitted |
Broadband internet access
SB 51: Exempting certain fiber optic, coaxial cable from property taxation Tax incentives intended to spur rural broadband internet development | Second chamber In committee |
Election administration
HB 176: Close late voter registration on noon the day before the election Ends Election Day-voter registration | Second chamber In committee |
HB 613: Generally revise laws related to tribal voting Seeks to protect voting rights on reservations | First chamber In committee |
Health care policy
SB 101: Provide for the direct patient care safe harbor act Allows healthcare providers to negotiate payment agreements directly with patients | Second chamber On floor |
HB 332: Revise school laws related to vaccinations | Failed Probably Dead |
HB 415: Prohibit discrimination based on vaccination status | Failed Probably Dead |
Labor policy
HB 168: Generally revise laws related to union fees Requires annual worker consent for union membership | First chamber Tabled in committee |
HB 251: Implement right-to-work Requires written consent for union due paycheck deductions | First chamber Out of committee |
Justice policy
SB 140: Revise laws relating to the judiciary Lets the governor appoint judges directly | Through Legislature Passed both chambers |
HB 355: Require partisan elections for state, district, local judges | Failed Probably Dead |
Education policy
HB 15: Implement K-12 Inflation Major school funding measure | Passed Became Law |
HB 143: Provide incentives for increasing starting teacher pay | Through Legislature Passed both chambers |
HB 246: Revise education laws to enhance local control and opportunities for pupils Makes K-12 education requirements more flexible | Second chamber In committee |
Natural resource policy
SB 98: Revising laws related to grizzly bear take in defense of persons and livestock | Second chamber In committee |
SB 115: Establish acquisitions requiring land board consideration | Second chamber On floor |
HB 224: Allow for the snaring of wolves in Montana by licensed trappers | Second chamber In committee |
HB 225: Establish wolf trapping season dates | Second chamber In committee |
HB 320: Prohibit sales of federal land transferred to Montana | Second chamber In committee |
Energy policy
SB 160: Establish Public Service Commission appointments Shifts elected utility board to three-member commission appointed by governor | Failed Probably Dead |
HB 273: Eliminate restrictions on nuclear facility development | Second chamber Transmitted |
Firearm regulations
HB 102: Generally revise gun laws Expands permitless concealed carry, limits gun regulations on college campuses | Passed Became Law |
Anti-abortion measures
HB 136: Establish pain-capable unborn child protection act Broadly restricts abortions after 20 weeks | Through Legislature Passed both chambers |
HB 140: Requiring the provision of information before the performance of an abortion Requires medical providers to offer patients an ultrasound before an abortion | Through Legislature Passed both chambers |
HB 167: Referendum to adopt the Montana Born-Alive Infant Protection Act | Reconciliation In reconciliation |
HB 171: Adopt the Montana Abortion-Inducing Drug Risk Protocol Act Requires abortion-inducing medication to be distributed in person | Through Legislature Passed both chambers |
Transgender restrictions
HB 112: Require interscholastic athletes to participate under sex assigned at birth | Second chamber In committee |
HB 113: Provide for youth health protection Prohibits hormonal treatments and gender surgeries for transgender youth | Failed Probably Dead |
HB 427: Provide for youth health protection A slightly narrower version of HB 113 | Second chamber In committee |
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More information about this guide is available here. Reach data reporter Eric Dietrich with questions, comments or bug reports for this project at edietrich@montanafreepress.org.
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