All Roll Calls
Yes: 221 • No: 74
MontanaHB 52369th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)HouseWALLET
Providing for disposition of abandoned graveyard lots
Sponsored By: Stacy Zinn (Republican)
Became Law
Cities and TownsLandlord and TenantProperty
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
How public cemeteries sell abandoned lots
A public cemetery lot is abandoned only when no burial and no contact with the owner or heirs for 75 years. Anyone may petition the cemetery to declare it abandoned and ask to buy it. The petition must list your contact info, describe the lot, explain your search for the owner, include a sworn statement, and, for multi-lot plots, give the last buried person’s name and death date. The cemetery publishes a notice once a week for 3 weeks that names the recorded owner and the last date to claim, and keeps an affidavit proving it ran. If no one claims by the last notice date, the administrator approves the petition, sets a sale price, and records the sale with the county. If someone claims the lot, the administrator decides if the claim is valid before any sale.
Which cemetery lots are off-limits
Lots set aside for veteran burials are not subject to abandonment. Lots the administrator determines contain human remains are also off-limits, even without a marker. Private cemeteries are exempt unless they choose to adopt these rules. The law defines who may act as a cemetery administrator and what a plot means.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Stacy Zinn
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Greg Hertz
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/14/2025
Do Concur
Yes: 45 • No: 3
House vote • 4/12/2025
Do Concur
Yes: 46 • No: 4
House vote • 3/7/2025
Do Pass
Yes: 67 • No: 32
House vote • 3/5/2025
Do Pass
Yes: 63 • No: 35
Actions Timeline
Chapter Number Assigned
5/5/2025HouseSigned by Governor
5/1/2025HouseTransmitted to Governor
4/24/2025HouseSigned by President
4/24/2025SenateSigned by Speaker
4/23/2025HouseReturned from Enrolling
4/15/2025HouseSent to Enrolling
4/14/2025House3rd Reading Concurred
4/14/2025Senate2nd Reading Concurred
4/12/2025SenateCommittee Report--Bill Concurred
4/1/2025SenateCommittee Executive Action--Bill Concurred
3/31/2025SenateHearing
3/20/2025SenateReferred to Committee
3/14/2025SenateFirst Reading
3/14/2025SenateTransmitted to Senate
3/7/2025House3rd Reading Passed
3/7/2025House2nd Reading Passed
3/5/2025HouseCommittee Report--Bill Passed as Amended
2/28/2025HouseCommittee Executive Action--Bill Passed as Amended
2/27/2025HouseFiscal Note Printed
2/24/2025HouseFiscal Note Signed
2/24/2025HouseFiscal Note Received
2/24/2025HouseHearing
2/24/2025HouseFirst Reading
2/18/2025HouseReferred to Committee
2/18/2025House
Bill Text
Enrolled
4/14/2025
As Amended (Version 2)
2/28/2025
Introduced
2/17/2025