# Montana HB 178: Limit government use of AI systems

Montana HB 178, Limit government use of AI systems, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Braxton Mitchell (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-08 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB178-2025
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Montana HB 178
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Limit government use of AI systems
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-10
- Last action: 2025-05-08, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Braxton Mitchell (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Information Technology, Privacy
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 6 (466 yes, 32 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Ban on harmful government AI uses: benefit, medium. The law bans state and local government from using AI to manipulate people or groups. They cannot use AI to classify in ways that cause unlawful discrimination or a disparate impact. They cannot use AI for a malicious purpose. They cannot use AI to surveil public spaces, except to find a missing, e…
- Government must disclose AI use: benefit, medium. When a government publishes material made by AI without human review, it must say so. If a public website or tool uses AI, that use must be disclosed. Police investigators do not have to disclose if telling would risk safety, help a suspect flee, harm evidence, intimidate witnesses, seriously jeopa…
- Human review for AI decisions: benefit, medium. If AI gives a recommendation or decision that affects your rights, duties, privileges, or immunities, a trained human must review it. The human can change or reject the AI result. This protects people from unfair automated government decisions.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Braxton Mitchell (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 100 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 96 | 3 |   |
| 2025-03-27 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 50 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-26 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 46 | 4 |   |
| 2025-02-13 | House | Do Pass | pass | 88 | 11 |   |
| 2025-02-12 | House | Do Pass | pass | 86 | 14 |   |

## Actions (28)

- 2025-05-08: Chapter Number Assigned (House)
- 2025-05-05: Signed by Governor (House)
- 2025-04-25: Transmitted to Governor (House)
- 2025-04-25: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-04-23: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-04-14: Returned from Enrolling (House)
- 2025-04-11: Sent to Enrolling (House)
- 2025-04-11: 3rd Reading Senate Amendments (House)
- 2025-04-11: 2nd Reading Senate Amendments (House)
- 2025-03-28: Returned to House with Amendments (Senate)
- 2025-03-27: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-26: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-21: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-03-20: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-03-12: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Transmitted to Senate (House)
- 2025-02-13: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-02-12: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-02-03: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-02-03: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-02-03: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-01-14: Hearing (House)
- 2025-01-14: Hearing Canceled (House)
- 2025-01-13: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-01-13: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-01-10: Introduced (House)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=abaac0b1-5756-4633-ac5b-3a991a4b53f2)
- As Amended (Version 3), 2025-03-21: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=8745173f-5d03-41b9-9906-927409cbcace)
- As Amended (Version 2), 2025-02-04: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=e8a34242-e766-467a-9b5d-294d725fbf12)
- Introduced, 2025-01-10: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=44d44f70-f6fb-4290-8cb8-22b7d0dafe45)

## Related bills

- SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law (signed)
- HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit (vetoed)
- HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws (vetoed)
- SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act (vetoed)
- SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed)
- SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed)

## Sources
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=abaac0b1-5756-4633-ac5b-3a991a4b53f2)
- [As Amended (Version 3) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=8745173f-5d03-41b9-9906-927409cbcace)
- [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=e8a34242-e766-467a-9b5d-294d725fbf12)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=44d44f70-f6fb-4290-8cb8-22b7d0dafe45)

## Related
- [SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB437-2025)
- [HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB831-2025)
- [HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB628-2025)
- [SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB410-2025)
- [SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025)
- [SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025)
- [Montana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana/bills)
- [Montana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB178-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).