2025 MTLeg Weekly Debrief: 2/17-2/21

The Frontier Institute has identified 6 new Key Bills and 30 Key Bill updates for the week of February 17-21

HB 462: Encourage academic excellence through high-quality instructional materials
Sponsor: Representative David Bedey (R) HD 86
Status: Hearing on 2/17 in House Education Committee

HB 507: Constitutional amendment for sales tax to fund K-12 education
Sponsor: Representative Brad Barker (R) HD 55
Status: Introduced

HB 466: Provide categorical exclusions from MEPA
Sponsor: Representative John Fitzpatrick (R) HD 76
Status: Hearing on 2/17 in House Local Government Committee
Note: HB 466 follows Frontier Institute’s recommendation to provide greater clarity and predictability by codifying the definition of categorical exclusions within the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA).

HB 492: Revise municipal zoning laws related to parking requirements
Sponsor: Representative Katie Zolnikov (R) HD 44
Status: Hearing scheduled 2/18 @3pm in House Local Government Committee
Note: HB 492 follows recommendations made in Frontier Institute’s 2023 Pro-Housing Platform to address harmful local zoning regulations which worsen Montana’s housing crisis.

SB 330: Create a Montana blockchain and digital innovation task force
Sponsor: Senator Gayle Lammers (R) SD 21
Status: Introduced
Note: Follows Frontier Institute recommendations for policymakers to encourage crypto innovation in Montana and take steps to address regulatory uncertainty for the industry.

HB 483: Revise laws to reduce property taxes while preserving the current 95 school equalization mills
Sponsor: Representative Courtenay Sprunger (R) HD 7
Status: Hearing scheduled 2/19 9am in House Tax Committee

Key Bill Updates:

SB 254: Hearing scheduled 2/26 @3pm in Senate State Administration Committee.
SB 262: Passed in Senate Local Government Committee.
SB 265: Hearing scheduled 2/20 @3pm in Senate Energy, Technology & Federal Relations Committee.
HB 320: Passed in House Appropriations Committee.
HB 270: Passed House floor unanimously.
HB 285: Passed House floor.
SB 146: Failed Senate floor.
HB 30: Second reading indefinitely postponed.
HB 35: Second reading indefinitely postponed.
HB 36: Second reading indefinitely postponed.
HB 39: Passed Senate floor.
SB 252: Hearing scheduled 2/19 @3pm in Senate Local Government Committee.
SB 213: Passed in Senate Local Government unanimously.
SB 215: Passed Senate floor second reading.
HB 153: Passed House floor unanimously.
HB 251: Passed House floor.
HB 285: Passed House floor.
HB 28: Passed in Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee.
SB 20: Passed Senate floor.
HB 156: Passed House floor.
HB 252: Passed in House Appropriations Committee.
HB 136: Passed in Senate Business, Labor & Economic Affairs Committee unanimously.
SB 40: Passed Senate floor.
SB 30: Passed Senate floor.
SB 45: Hearing scheduled 2/20 @2:30pm in Senate Finance and Claims Committee.
HB 52: Failed House floor.
HB 65: Passed in Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 14: Passed Senate floor.
SB 38: Passed Senate floor.
SB 39: 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.