MontanaHB 24969th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)HouseWALLET

Include digital identifications in alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana laws

Sponsored By: Braxton Mitchell (Republican)

Became Law

Information TechnologyAlcohol and DrugsCigarettes and Tobacco

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

7 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 5 mixed.

Co-location allowed, no hemp at sites

If you follow the rules, the Department cannot stop your adult‑use business from sharing a site with a medical dispensary. You may not grow hemp or do hemp manufacturing at a marijuana‑licensed premises. Growers and makers must comply with the state pesticides law. The Department reviews applicants, controlling owners, and financial interests for any license‑denial criteria.

Faster marijuana licensing and fee relief

The Department must decide complete applications within 60 days for former medical or current licensees and within 120 days for new applicants. If it misses the deadline, your license fee drops by 5% for each full week pending, and you may keep operating until the final decision. The Department issues licenses or endorsements within 5 days after approval. Final action cannot happen until you pass a satisfactory inspection. Licenses renew every year. If denied, you can seek a contested case hearing and may file in district court within 30 days of the final decision.

Rules for selling or changing ownership

Licenses are generally not transferable. You may sell your marijuana business, including plants and inventory, to a buyer already licensed by the Department. The Department may issue a temporary license to help the transfer. If a deal would make someone a controlling owner, you must notify the Department in writing, and the Department must find the person qualifies before the change.

No tobacco sales to under 18

Sellers may not sell or give tobacco, nicotine, or vaping products to anyone under 18 by any method. If a seller doubts a buyer’s age, the seller must check a photo ID, either a physical or digital driver’s license or another accepted photo ID.

Stronger privacy when stores scan IDs

When a business scans your physical or digital government or tribal ID only to check age, it may use the scan only for age. It cannot sell or share the scan data and must delete it within 180 days. These rules also apply when sellers scan IDs for tobacco sales and when marijuana businesses scan IDs. The Department cannot require extra personal data beyond a physical or digital government ID to verify age. This does not change federal record rules for ephedrine or pseudoephedrine sales.

License types and public listing for marijuana businesses

The Department issues licenses for cultivators, manufacturers, adult‑use and medical dispensaries, testing labs, transporters, and combined‑use businesses, and may add more types. You must display your license as the rules require. The Department keeps a registry and posts licensee names, phone numbers, controlling owners, and the city, town, or county of the site. It does not post street addresses, though it can share them with other agencies and the state fire marshal. Controlling owners’ names are not confidential.

Temporary lab licenses with limits

Testing labs can get a probationary license if they have applied for an ISO assessment and have no pending ISO corrective actions. The probationary license lasts 180 days and can be renewed once in certain cases. If you voluntarily close your application after getting a probationary license, you cannot receive another probationary license for 2 years.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Braxton Mitchell
Republican • House

Cosponsors

Gayle Lammers
Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 269 • No: 29

House vote • 3/24/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 46 • No: 4

House vote • 3/21/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 48 • No: 2

House vote • 2/3/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 86 • No: 13

House vote • 1/31/2025