# Montana HB 538: Revise 911 emergency telephone system laws Montana HB 538, Revise 911 emergency telephone system laws, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Melissa Nikolakakos (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-08 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB538-2025 - 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 538 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revise 911 emergency telephone system laws - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-18 - Last action: 2025-05-08, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Melissa Nikolakakos (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Communications, Emergency Services - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 4 (295 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Sellers keep 2% of prepaid fee: benefit, low. Sellers of prepaid wireless service may keep 2% of the 9-1-1 fee they collect. For a $1.00 fee, that is $0.02 per transaction. This applies starting in the second quarter of 2022. - Annual grants for 9-1-1 upgrades: benefit, low. The state runs an annual competitive grant program for 9-1-1 upgrades. Private telecom providers and local or tribal governments that host 9-1-1 centers can apply. Grants can fund planning, studies, system work, maintenance, and support services. Priority goes first to private providers or governme… - New funding formula for 9-1-1 centers: benefit, low. The department must give out all 9-1-1 account money each quarter to local and tribal governments that run 9-1-1 centers. Rules set the formula and must consider past allocations, people served, population trends, and call volume when available. Every 9-1-1 center host receives funding. Funding rul… - Stronger statewide 9-1-1 planning and council: benefit, low. The department maintains a statewide 9-1-1 plan and updates it over time. The plan uses existing commercial networks when possible and moves systems to next‑generation 9-1-1. The department sets tech standards that follow industry best practices and keep minimum service levels. The 9-1-1 advisory c… - Your 9-1-1 phone and prepaid fees: mixed, low. The law sets a $1.00 fee per month for each phone access line. It also sets a $1.00 fee on each prepaid wireless transaction. For prepaid wireless, this is the only allowed 9-1-1 charge—no extra 9-1-1 taxes or fees can be added. This makes costs clear and avoids double charges. - Tighter oversight of local 9-1-1 spending: mixed, low. The department sets what 9-1-1 money can be used for and requires reports. If a local or tribal government spends money on items that are not allowed, it must pay it back. The department can request needed information from governments that host 9-1-1 centers. If they do not provide it, the departme… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Melissa Nikolakakos (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Denise Hayman (Democrat), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-15 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-04-14 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 49 | 0 | | | 2025-03-03 | House | Do Pass | pass | 97 | 0 | | | 2025-03-01 | House | Do Pass | pass | 99 | 1 | | ## Actions (27) - 2025-05-08: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-05-05: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-04-25: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-04-25: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-17: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-15: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-15: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-14: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-01: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-03-31: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-03-12: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-03-04: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-03-04: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-03: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-03-03: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-03-01: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-02-26: Committee Report (House) - 2025-02-26: Fiscal Note Printed (House) - 2025-02-26: Fiscal Note Signed (House) - 2025-02-25: Fiscal Note Received (House) - 2025-02-21: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-02-19: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-19: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-02-19: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-18: Fiscal Note Requested (House) - 2025-02-18: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-16: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=4761ae70-3216-4a06-98d6-22d2860c2a48) - Introduced, 2025-02-18: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=91b34df9-0852-466c-9fb9-ad01f5cd29dc) ## 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=4761ae70-3216-4a06-98d6-22d2860c2a48) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=91b34df9-0852-466c-9fb9-ad01f5cd29dc) ## 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-HB538-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).