# Montana HB 278: Require peace officer to check and report immigration status during lawful stop

Montana HB 278, Require peace officer to check and report immigration status during lawful stop, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Nelly Nicol (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-04-17 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB278-2025
- 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 278
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Require peace officer to check and report immigration status during lawful stop
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-21
- Last action: 2025-04-17, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Nelly Nicol (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Law Enforcement, Federal Government
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (181 yes, 119 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Police immigration checks during stops: cost, low. The law lets Montana peace officers check immigration status during a lawful stop. They may try only when they have reasonable suspicion and when it is practical. They must not do it if it would hinder or obstruct the investigation. If they determine a person is not lawfully present in the United S…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Nelly Nicol (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Carl Glimm (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-01 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 30 | 20 |   |
| 2025-03-31 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 32 | 18 |   |
| 2025-02-12 | House | Do Pass | pass | 60 | 40 |   |
| 2025-02-11 | House | Do Pass | pass | 59 | 41 |   |

## Actions (23)

- 2025-04-17: Chapter Number Assigned (House)
- 2025-04-16: Signed by Governor (House)
- 2025-04-09: Transmitted to Governor (House)
- 2025-04-09: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-04-07: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-04-03: Returned from Enrolling (House)
- 2025-04-01: Sent to Enrolling (House)
- 2025-04-01: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-31: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-21: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-03-20: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-03-18: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Transmitted to Senate (House)
- 2025-02-12: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-02-11: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-02-03: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-02-03: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-01-23: Hearing (House)
- 2025-01-22: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-01-22: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-01-21: Introduced (House)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=a72729b5-171b-453a-aae3-189e83dc6e5c)
- As Amended (Version 2), 2025-02-03: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=738c0b56-17e8-442d-ac86-19451d60108c)
- Introduced, 2025-01-21: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=89c6e9a4-5051-4b78-8ea2-d096212f93e7)

## 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=a72729b5-171b-453a-aae3-189e83dc6e5c)
- [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=738c0b56-17e8-442d-ac86-19451d60108c)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=89c6e9a4-5051-4b78-8ea2-d096212f93e7)

## 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-HB278-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).