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MontanaHB 39269th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)HouseWALLET

Generally revise laws related to creation of profitable family video content featuring minor children

Sponsored By: Katie Zolnikov (Republican)

Became Law

Discrimination and Human RightsFamily LawCommunicationsLiabilityMinors

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

You can sue for at least $1,500

If someone breaks the trust or deletion rules, you can sue. You can ask the court to order the violation to stop. You can get the greater of $1,500 or your actual losses, plus any profits tied to the violation that were not in your losses. You must show gross revenue tied to the violation; the other side must prove any deductible costs. File within seven years of when you discovered it or before you turn 26, whichever is later.

Parents must save kids' video earnings

The law requires Montana content creators who get paid and, in the last 12 months, met a platform pay threshold or earned at least $0.10 per view to fund a trust for their minor child. This applies when, in a 30-day span, at least 30% of the paid videos show or talk about the child’s name, face, or photo. Deposit a share of gross earnings from each paid segment with the child: 10% when the child is 30% to under 50% of the content, 25% at 50% to under 75%, and 50% at 75% or more. If more than one qualifying child appears, split the deposit evenly. The child’s share is based on screen time or narration about the child compared with total video length, and the money stays in trust until age 18. Creators must keep yearly records—proof of age, number and minutes of paid videos, minutes the child appears, pay from those videos, and trust deposits—and give them to the child on request until age 18. Failing to keep these records allows the child to bring a civil action.

At 18, delete paid videos of you

When you turn 18, you can ask a platform to permanently delete a paid video that shows your name, face, or photo if it paid your parent for it. The platform must take reasonable steps to remove it for good. Contracts that expect more than a small use of a minor must tell the platform about this future deletion right.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Katie Zolnikov

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 485 • No: 8

House vote • 4/22/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 98 • No: 0

House vote • 4/18/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 98 • No: 0

House vote • 4/2/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 46 • No: 4

House vote • 4/1/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 46 • No: 4

House vote • 2/21/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 98 • No: 0

House vote • 2/20/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 99 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Chapter Number Assigned

    5/16/2025House

  2. Signed by Governor

    5/12/2025House

  3. Transmitted to Governor

    5/5/2025House

  4. Signed by President

    5/2/2025Senate

  5. Signed by Speaker

    5/1/2025House

  6. Returned from Enrolling

    4/24/2025House

  7. Sent to Enrolling

    4/22/2025House

  8. 3rd Reading Passed as Amended by Senate

    4/22/2025House

  9. 2nd Reading Senate Amendments Concurred

    4/18/2025House

  10. Returned to House with Amendments

    4/2/2025Senate

  11. 3rd Reading Concurred

    4/2/2025Senate

  12. 2nd Reading Concurred

    4/1/2025Senate

  13. Committee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended

    3/27/2025Senate

  14. Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred as Amended

    3/25/2025Senate

  15. Hearing

    3/12/2025Senate

  16. Referred to Committee

    3/3/2025Senate

  17. First Reading

    2/24/2025Senate

  18. Transmitted to Senate

    2/21/2025House

  19. 3rd Reading Passed

    2/21/2025House

  20. 2nd Reading Passed

    2/20/2025House

  21. Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended

    2/13/2025House

  22. Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed as Amended

    2/12/2025House

  23. Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed as Amended

    2/12/2025House

  24. Hearing

    2/6/2025House

  25. First Reading

    2/5/2025House

Bill Text

  • Enrolled

    4/22/2025

    PDF

  • As Amended (Version 3)

    3/27/2025

    PDF

  • As Amended (Version 2)

    2/13/2025

    PDF

  • Introduced

    2/5/2025

    PDF

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