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MontanaHB 51369th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)House

Revise laws related to use of name, voice, and likeness of individuals and penalties for unauthorized use

Sponsored By: Jill Cohenour (Democrat)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Limits on selling or posting deepfakes

Starting January 1, 2026, the law bans sharing tools mainly meant to make unauthorized digital voices or images of a person for commercial use when you know that is the purpose. It also bans posting or distributing a commercial deepfake of someone when you know it is not authorized. The law does not apply to news, public affairs, sports, commentary, scholarship, satire, parody, brief or negligible uses, or some ads for those works. A publisher is not liable if they reasonably believed the material was allowed. Broadband internet access providers are excluded from these rules.

Damages and deadlines for lawsuits

Starting January 1, 2026, if your voice or image is used without consent, you can recover your actual losses and the violator’s profits. You must show the revenue tied to the use; they can deduct proven expenses. Punitive damages and attorney fees are not available under this law. You, or someone you assigned, bequeathed, transferred, or exclusively licensed your rights to, can sue. You have four years from when you discovered the violation to file.

New rights to your name and image

Beginning January 1, 2026, Montana treats your name, voice, and image as property. If you live in Montana, or had your legal home in Montana at death, you control these rights. Only you control them while alive. You can sell them, license them, or leave them to others. After death, heirs or transferees control them for up to 20 years, and the rights end if no transfer or license happens in that time.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jill Cohenour

    Democrat • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 884 • No: 10

Senate vote • 4/30/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 50 • No: 0

House vote • 4/30/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 100 • No: 0

House vote • 4/29/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 100 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/29/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 48 • No: 0

House vote • 4/17/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 99 • No: 0

House vote • 4/16/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 94 • No: 6

Senate vote • 4/12/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 50 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/10/2025

AMD-HB0513.002.001 Zolnikov D/PASS

Yes: 50 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/10/2025

Do Concur As Amended

Yes: 50 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/17/2025

Rerefer to Energy-Zolnikov

Yes: 46 • No: 3

House vote • 2/28/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 97 • No: 1

House vote • 2/27/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 100 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Chapter Number Assigned

    5/19/2025House

  2. Signed by Governor

    5/13/2025House

  3. Transmitted to Governor

    5/7/2025House

  4. Signed by President

    5/6/2025Senate

  5. Signed by Speaker

    5/2/2025House

  6. Returned from Enrolling

    5/2/2025House

  7. Sent to Enrolling

    4/30/2025House

  8. 3rd Reading Governor's Amendments

    4/30/2025Senate

  9. Transmitted to Senate

    4/30/2025House

  10. 3rd Reading Governor's Amendments

    4/30/2025House

  11. 2nd Reading Governor's Amendments

    4/29/2025Senate

  12. 2nd Reading Governor's Amendments

    4/29/2025House

  13. Returned with Governor's Amendments

    4/28/2025House

  14. Transmitted to Governor

    4/25/2025House

  15. Signed by President

    4/25/2025Senate

  16. Signed by Speaker

    4/25/2025House

  17. Returned from Enrolling

    4/22/2025House

  18. Sent to Enrolling

    4/18/2025House

  19. 3rd Reading Senate Amendments

    4/17/2025House

  20. 2nd Reading Senate Amendments

    4/16/2025House

  21. Returned to House with Amendments

    4/12/2025Senate

  22. 3rd Reading

    4/12/2025Senate

  23. 2nd Reading

    4/10/2025Senate

  24. 2nd Reading Motion to Amend

    4/10/2025Senate

  25. Committee Report

    4/9/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • As Amended (Version 5)

    5/1/2025

    PDF

  • Enrolled

    4/22/2025

    PDF

  • As Amended (Version 3)

    4/10/2025

    PDF

  • As Amended (Version 2)

    4/9/2025

    PDF

  • Introduced

    2/14/2025

    PDF

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