# Montana HB 42: Revise laws related to highways and transportation for clarity and consistency Montana HB 42, Revise laws related to highways and transportation for clarity and consistency, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Denise Baum (Democrat); status signed, last action 2025-03-04 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB42-2025 - 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 42 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revise laws related to highways and transportation for clarity and consistency - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2024-12-09 - Last action: 2025-03-04, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Denise Baum (Democrat) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Highways and Roads - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (288 yes, 10 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Faster payments and clearer bids for contractors: benefit, medium. For commission‑let projects, the Department must inspect within 30 days after a contractor requests final acceptance. If it accepts, it must make final payment within 90 days after the notice. If it refuses, it must list fixes and reinspect within 30 days after a new request. The law defines altern… - Recycled materials used when costs match: benefit, medium. The Department must use postconsumer recycled materials on highway projects when they cost no more than other materials and meet engineering standards. These materials include glass cullet, reclaimed asphalt and concrete, and recycled tires. This changes procurement and can reduce project costs. - Heritage area signs and Tower Rock: benefit, low. The law creates cultural heritage areas for Silver Bow and Deer Lodge counties, and for Miles City. The Department puts up and maintains signs on primary and interstate highways as money is available. Local governments design the signs and pick general locations, and the Department chooses exact sp… - Secondary road funding and local safeguards: mixed, medium. Each year, at least 65% of secondary federal‑aid funds go to districts for capital construction. Up to 35% is for pavement preservation. District shares follow a set formula: 30% land area, 35% rural population, 30% rural road miles, and 5% rural bridge size, using defined terms. Each county board… - Clearer county road and address rules: mixed, low. A county board may adopt a road by resolution after a public hearing if it was built and maintained with state DOT or county funds. A survey is not required to accept an existing county road. A state‑abandoned road can become a county road if the board accepts it, and a platted road is not a county… - Urban road funds follow population: mixed, low. Each year the Department splits urban federal‑aid highway funds by each area’s share of the state’s urban population. Only areas of 5,000 or more people, based on the latest federal census, count. Urban population includes adjusted and Federal Highway Administration‑approved fringe areas. An urban… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Denise Baum (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: Dave Fern (Democrat), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-18 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 46 | 4 | | | 2025-02-15 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 44 | 6 | | | 2025-01-21 | House | Do Pass | pass | 99 | 0 | | | 2025-01-20 | House | Do Pass | pass | 99 | 0 | | ## Actions (30) - 2025-03-04: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-03-04: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-02-26: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-02-26: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-02-26: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-20: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-02-18: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-02-18: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-15: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-01-22: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-01-22: Revised Fiscal Note Printed (House) - 2025-01-21: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-01-21: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-01-21: Revised Fiscal Note Received (House) - 2025-01-20: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-01-16: Revised Fiscal Note Requested (House) - 2025-01-16: Committee Report (House) - 2025-01-15: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-01-10: Hearing (House) - 2025-01-07: Fiscal Note Printed (House) - 2025-01-07: Fiscal Note Signed (House) - 2025-01-07: Fiscal Note Received (House) - 2025-01-06: 1st Reading (House) - 2024-12-20: Referred to Committee (House) - 2024-12-18: Fiscal Note Requested (House) - 2024-12-09: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-03-14: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=3cc24292-27d5-43cd-9409-727d74fa2e22) - As Amended (Version 3), 2025-02-19: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=7f28db17-ad55-41e6-82ea-da86274f8055) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-01-16: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=3eb45af0-ec50-4e85-a77f-46a88720e0a8) - Introduced, 2024-12-09: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=9ab5831e-8752-437f-9493-5dd960bc5395) ## 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=3cc24292-27d5-43cd-9409-727d74fa2e22) - [As Amended (Version 3) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=7f28db17-ad55-41e6-82ea-da86274f8055) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=3eb45af0-ec50-4e85-a77f-46a88720e0a8) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=9ab5831e-8752-437f-9493-5dd960bc5395) ## 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-HB42-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).