2025 MTLeg Weekly Debrief: 1/27-1/31

The Frontier Institute has identified 9 new Key Bills and 25 Key Bill updates for the week of January 27-31

SB 214: Revise zoning laws to clarify decisions regarding prior nonconforming use of property
Sponsor: Senator Greg Hertz (R) SD 7
Status: Introduced
Note: SB 214 follows Frontier Institute’s recommendations to expand protections for property owners subject to onerous zoning and land use regulation.

HB 270: Revise remedies to MEPA
Sponsor: Representative Katie Zolnikov (R) HD 44
Status: Hearing scheduled 1/29 @3pm in House Natural Resources Committee

HB 285: Generally revise Montana environmental policy act
Sponsor: Representative Brandon Ler (R) HD 33
Status: Hearing scheduled 1/29 @3pm in House Natural Resources Committee

SB 212: Creating the Right to Compute Act and requiring shutdowns of AI controlled critical infrastructure
Sponsor: Senator Daniel Zolnikov (R) SD 22
Status: Hearing scheduled 2/4 @3pm in Senate Energy, Technology & Federal Relations Committee
Note: SB 212 follows Frontier Institute’s recommendations to explicitly recognize people’s right to utilize computational power as an aspect of fundamental rights to free expression and use of property.

SB 213: Revise the state building code to allow single stairwells in certain buildings
Sponsor: Senator Daniel Zolnikov (R) SD 22
Status: Introduced

SB 215: Revise the definition of public school system and requirements of school funding formula
Sponsor: Senator Becky Beard (R) SD 38
Status: Introduced

SB 204: Sunset or reapprove existing approved property tax levies
Sponsor: Senator Greg Hertz (R) SD 7
Status: Hearing scheduled on 2/5 @3pm in the Senate Local Government Committee

HB 320: Establish the Montana’s academic prosperity program for scholars act (MAPPS)
Sponsor: Representative Lee Deming (R) HD 54
Status: Introduced
Note: Follows Frontier Institute’s recommendations for Montana to expand student access to a wide array of education options outside of the traditional public school system.

SB 205: Revise laws related to voter approval for property tax levies and bonds
Sponsor: Senator Greg Hertz (R) SD 7
Introduced: Hearing scheduled on 2/5 @3pm in the Senate Local Government Committee

Key Bill Updates:

SB 146: Hearing scheduled 1/28 @8am in Senate Judiciary Committee.
HB 136: Passed House floor, hearing scheduled 1/31 @8:30am in Senate Business, Labor & Economic Affairs Committee.
HB 28: Hearing scheduled 1/30 @3pm in Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee.
SB 40: Passed Senate Judiciary Committee.
HB 30: Passed House floor.
HB 35: Passed House floor, hearing scheduled 2/5 @8:30am in Senate Judiciary Committee.
HB 36: Passed House floor, hearing scheduled 2/5 @8:30am in Senate Judiciary Committee.
HB 39: Passed House floor, hearing scheduled 2/5 @8:30am in Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 20: Passed in Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 47: Passed in Senate State Administration Committee.
SB 90: Passed in Senate Local Government Committee.
HB 20: Passed House floor.
HB 153: Tabled in House Education Committee.
SB 117: Hearing scheduled 1/22 @8am in Senate Taxation Committee.
HB 156: Passed in House Education Committee.
SB 119: Hearing scheduled 1/21 @3pm in Senate Energy, Technology & Federal Relations Committee.
SB 41: Passed Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 30: Passed Senate floor.
SB 13: Passed Senate floor.
SB 15: Passed Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 21: Hearing scheduled 2/4 @8am in Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 48: Passed Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 49: Hearing scheduled 2/4 @8am in Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 52: Hearing scheduled 2/5 @8:30am in Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 101: Passed Senate floor.

Note: Our MTLeg Weekly Debrief series is meant only to help our subscribers follow along with key legislation related to these 3 issue areas that we feel deserve extra focus. The legislation listed in each weekly update will NOT necessarily represent legislation we support or oppose. Each week’s key bill analysis represents new legislation introduced up to midnight Monday of the current week.