# Montana HB 468: Generally revise laws related to watercraft. Montana HB 468, Generally revise laws related to watercraft., is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Steven Kelly (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-05 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB468-2025 - 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 468 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Generally revise laws related to watercraft. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-12 - Last action: 2025-05-05, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Steven Kelly (Republican) - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Recreation, Transportation - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 4 (291 yes, 2 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Higher threshold for boating crash reports: mixed, low. You must report a boating crash right away if there is a death, a disappearance, or any injury. You must also report if property damage is over $2,000. If damage is $2,000 or less and no one is hurt, immediate reporting is not required. Report to the county sheriff or county game warden where it ha… - New boat numbers and decal rules: mixed, low. Montana now uses a certificate of number and a registration decal for boats. Motorboats and sailboats must be numbered and show a valid registration decal to operate. After a sale, you may operate for 40 days if you show a temporary permit. Put the state number on both sides near the front, left to… - Stronger boating safety and distance rules: mixed, low. When boats meet head-on, each must steer right and pass left. Keep clear of a boat on your right and when you pass another boat. Do not anchor where you block normal boat traffic. Stay at least 20 feet outside marked swimming areas, which use white buoys with orange markings. Anyone driving or ridi… - Boating funds refocused, advisory council ended: mixed, low. The department must spend motorboat account money to improve, run, and maintain boating facilities. It can also use the money to match federal funds. The law removes spending on the boating advisory council and ends the council. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Steven Kelly (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Denley Loge (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Greg Hertz (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-14 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 46 | 2 | | | 2025-04-12 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 45 | 0 | | | 2025-02-25 | House | Do Pass | pass | 100 | 0 | | | 2025-02-24 | House | Do Pass | pass | 100 | 0 | | ## Actions (23) - 2025-05-05: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-05-01: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-04-24: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-04-24: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-23: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-15: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-14: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-14: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-12: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-04-01: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-03-18: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-03-03: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-02-26: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-25: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-02-25: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-02-24: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-02-21: Committee Report (House) - 2025-02-20: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-02-13: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-13: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-02-13: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-12: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-14: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=6c8ce325-c2d0-40db-aef5-b267f54e8196) - Introduced, 2025-02-12: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=5638f5c3-6598-4516-a57e-4221de9da9a2) ## 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=6c8ce325-c2d0-40db-aef5-b267f54e8196) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=5638f5c3-6598-4516-a57e-4221de9da9a2) ## 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-HB468-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).