# Montana HB 45: Generally revising telecommunications regulation laws Montana HB 45, Generally revising telecommunications regulation laws, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Katie Zolnikov (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-13 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB45-2025 - 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 45 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Generally revising telecommunications regulation laws - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2024-12-09 - Last action: 2025-05-13, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Katie Zolnikov (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Utilities - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 6 (469 yes, 25 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 8 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Telecom promos can start without approval: benefit, low. Providers can offer short‑term rebates or price cuts without getting approval first. They must file an informational price list on or before the day the promotion begins. The commission can later find a promotion unfairly discriminatory and make the provider’s shareholders cover the costs. - Telecom providers must register before serving: cost, medium. Before offering telecom service in Montana, a company must file a notice with the Public Service Commission. The filing lists contacts, ownership, affiliates, services and areas to be served, and whether service is facilities‑based or resale. It must describe facilities, any plan to seek universal… - State universal service fund repealed: cost, medium. The law ends Montana’s universal service fund and the related state rules. State‑backed discounts and payments for schools, libraries, health care providers, and high‑cost voice service no longer apply under state law. Providers and customers no longer pay into or receive from a state universal ser… - Telecom performance account and funding ended: cost, low. The law repeals the performance assurance state special revenue account and its automatic appropriation. It also removes that account from the list of statutory appropriations. Related spending no longer has automatic, ongoing funding under that section. - Changes to telecom taxes on bills: mixed, high. The law updates what counts in the taxable “sales price” on telecom bills. Charges under 53‑19‑311 are now excluded from tax. Charges that were excluded under 69‑3‑844 are now included. Your bill’s telecom taxes can go up or down based on which charges appear on your bill. - Less state control of internet and phone: mixed, high. State and local agencies cannot regulate internet‑based services like broadband and internet calling under telecom rules. The law repeals many commission tools for setting telecom rates. It also narrows what counts as a regulated telecom service, focusing on two‑way voice and related access. Federa… - Utilities' rate changes after nine months: mixed, medium. A utility’s filed schedule becomes lawful when the commission approves it or after nine months, whichever comes first. The law removes a prior automatic route for schedules to take effect. This changes when utilities can start charging new rates. - Utility grants and loans for home energy: mixed, low. Electric and natural gas utilities can offer grants and subsidized loans for energy‑saving upgrades or nonfossil power systems in homes. These programs are optional for the utility. The law sets no dollar limits, interest rates, or income rules. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Katie Zolnikov (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-16 | House | Do Concur | pass | 97 | 1 | | | 2025-04-15 | House | Do Concur | pass | 100 | 0 | | | 2025-04-10 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 48 | 0 | | | 2025-04-09 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-01-21 | House | Do Pass | pass | 85 | 14 | | | 2025-01-20 | House | Do Pass | pass | 89 | 10 | | ## Actions (27) - 2025-05-13: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-05-08: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-05-02: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-05-02: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-29: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-18: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-16: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-16: 3rd Reading Senate Amendments (House) - 2025-04-15: 2nd Reading Senate Amendments (House) - 2025-04-10: Returned to House with Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-10: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-09: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-04-01: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-02-11: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-01-22: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-01-21: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-01-21: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-01-20: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-01-16: Committee Report (House) - 2025-01-16: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-01-15: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-01-06: Hearing (House) - 2025-01-06: 1st Reading (House) - 2024-12-20: Referred to Committee (House) - 2024-12-09: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-17: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=02430ee8-70d6-4046-85a1-bd771039505a) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-04-07: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=ad3cac1d-9d2f-475a-8f04-44f41c52c1a1) - Introduced, 2024-12-09: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=ebc14613-c4db-41a5-aba3-b805dc9c2e0f) ## 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 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed) - SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed) ## Sources - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=02430ee8-70d6-4046-85a1-bd771039505a) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=ad3cac1d-9d2f-475a-8f04-44f41c52c1a1) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=ebc14613-c4db-41a5-aba3-b805dc9c2e0f) ## 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 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025) - [SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025) - [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-HB45-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).