# Montana HB 575: Generally revise the proceedings in which a public defender may be assigned

Montana HB 575, Generally revise the proceedings in which a public defender may be assigned, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Peter Strand (Democrat); status signed, last action 2025-05-19 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB575-2025
- 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 575
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Generally revise the proceedings in which a public defender may be assigned
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-02-19
- Last action: 2025-05-19, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Peter Strand (Democrat)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Criminal Procedure, State Government, Courts
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 5 (204 yes, 141 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Public defender for parents facing termination: benefit, high. Beginning July 1, 2025, a court can assign a public defender to a parent in an involuntary termination of parental rights case. The court must first decide if the parent is indigent under 47-1-111. If indigent, the state pays for the lawyer.
- More child advocates in youth and neglect cases: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, private attorneys who contract to provide public defender services can also be appointed as a child advocate or guardian ad litem in youth court and in abuse or neglect cases. The appointment must be separate from their public defender work and free of any conflict of intere…
- Public defender on treatment court teams: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, a court may order a public defender to join a treatment court team. This adds legal support and coordination for people in those programs.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Peter Strand (Democrat), House
- Cosponsor: Josh Kassmier (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-28 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 25 | 24 |   |
| 2025-04-25 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 27 | 23 |   |
| 2025-04-24 | Senate | Take HB 575 from Comm-Boldman | pass | 27 | 23 |   |
| 2025-03-01 | House | Do Pass | pass | 68 | 29 |   |
| 2025-02-28 | House | Do Pass | pass | 57 | 42 |   |

## Actions (29)

- 2025-05-19: Chapter Number Assigned (House)
- 2025-05-13: Signed by Governor (House)
- 2025-05-07: Transmitted to Governor (House)
- 2025-05-06: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-05-02: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-04-29: Returned from Enrolling (House)
- 2025-04-29: Sent to Enrolling (House)
- 2025-04-29: Returned to House (Senate)
- 2025-04-28: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-04-25: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-04-24: Take from Committee; Place on 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-04-09: Tabled in Committee (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-03-25: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-03-05: Fiscal Note Printed (House)
- 2025-03-04: Fiscal Note Unsigned (House)
- 2025-03-03: Fiscal Note Received (House)
- 2025-03-03: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-01: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-02-28: Fiscal Note Requested (House)
- 2025-02-28: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-02-27: 2nd Reading Pass Consideration (House)
- 2025-02-25: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-02-25: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-02-20: Hearing (House)
- 2025-02-19: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-02-19: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-02-19: Introduced (House)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-29: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=9a0d5270-9476-4ffb-b1b7-58f0b66bc6f0)
- Introduced, 2025-02-19: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=18a30ed0-a4a2-410e-87a8-e90007644f1c)

## 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 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed)
- SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed)

## Sources
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=9a0d5270-9476-4ffb-b1b7-58f0b66bc6f0)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=18a30ed0-a4a2-410e-87a8-e90007644f1c)

## 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 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025)
- [SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025)
- [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-HB575-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).