# Montana HB 257: Generally revise critical infrastructure protection laws

Montana HB 257, Generally revise critical infrastructure protection laws, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Greg Kmetz (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-04-07 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB257-2025
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Montana HB 257
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Generally revise critical infrastructure protection laws
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-04-07, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Greg Kmetz (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Energy, Information Technology
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (276 yes, 24 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Stronger penalties for harming critical infrastructure: benefit, medium. The law increases criminal penalties for attacks on critical infrastructure. Offenses must be done purposely or knowingly. Trespassing at a fenced or posted site with that intent is a felony. Penalty: up to 18 months in jail or a $4,500 fine, or both. Damaging equipment under $1,500 is a misdemeano…
- More sites now protected as critical infrastructure: benefit, low. The law adds cable TV, broadband, and other wired lines to the list of critical infrastructure. This includes headends, poles, coaxial and fiber lines, and gear attached to those lines. Listed sites like refineries, power plants, water plants, ports, and rail yards are protected even without fences…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Greg Kmetz (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Kenneth Bogner (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-24 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 49 | 1 |   |
| 2025-03-21 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 48 | 2 |   |
| 2025-02-05 | House | Do Pass | pass | 90 | 10 |   |
| 2025-02-04 | House | Do Pass | pass | 89 | 11 |   |

## Actions (23)

- 2025-04-07: Chapter Number Assigned (House)
- 2025-04-07: Signed by Governor (House)
- 2025-04-01: Transmitted to Governor (House)
- 2025-04-01: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-03-28: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-03-26: Returned from Enrolling (House)
- 2025-03-24: Sent to Enrolling (House)
- 2025-03-24: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-21: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-19: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-03-18: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-03-12: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Transmitted to Senate (House)
- 2025-02-05: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-02-04: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-01-30: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-01-29: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-01-23: Hearing (House)
- 2025-01-20: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-01-20: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced (House)

## Bill text

- As Amended (Version 3), 2025-03-25: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f68358e5-4a6d-4403-acb3-a71f330468d3)
- Enrolled, 2025-03-25: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=84ccd15a-1e08-4ff7-aeb0-7896d058a777)
- As Amended (Version 2), 2025-01-30: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=bcb6d76a-61c8-4ccb-9734-c705dd000166)
- Introduced, 2025-01-17: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f22da465-391f-4f6c-b738-6a95a4ac6ff1)

## 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
- [As Amended (Version 3) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f68358e5-4a6d-4403-acb3-a71f330468d3)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=84ccd15a-1e08-4ff7-aeb0-7896d058a777)
- [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=bcb6d76a-61c8-4ccb-9734-c705dd000166)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f22da465-391f-4f6c-b738-6a95a4ac6ff1)

## 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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB257-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).