# Montana HB 578: Generally revise laws related to restitution

Montana HB 578, Generally revise laws related to restitution, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Bill Mercer (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-08 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB578-2025
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Montana HB 578
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Generally revise laws related to restitution
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-02-19
- Last action: 2025-05-08, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Bill Mercer (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Criminal Procedure, Remedies
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 4 (175 yes, 123 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Mandatory restitution for sex crimes: benefit, low. Courts must order people convicted of partner or family member assault to repay the victim’s medical, housing, lost wages, and counseling costs. For sexual assault, courts must order payment of the victim’s reasonable medical and counseling costs. For incest, courts must order payment of the victim…
- Stronger rules to secure restitution: benefit, low. When the court sees a likely money loss or the prosecutor asks, the presentence report must list the offender’s assets. It must also include a victim affidavit stating the loss and the replacement value. If no report is ordered, the court accepts the victim’s loss evidence at sentencing. Offenders…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Bill Mercer (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Barry Usher (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-16 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 31 | 19 |   |
| 2025-04-15 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 30 | 20 |   |
| 2025-03-06 | House | Do Pass | pass | 58 | 41 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | House | Do Pass | pass | 56 | 43 |   |

## Actions (25)

- 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)
- 2025-04-19: Returned from Enrolling (House)
- 2025-04-16: Sent to Enrolling (House)
- 2025-04-16: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-04-15: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-04-14: 2nd Reading Pass Consideration (Senate)
- 2025-03-28: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-03-28: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-03-27: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-03-21: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-03-14: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Transmitted to Senate (House)
- 2025-03-06: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-03-04: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-02-26: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-02-26: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-02-24: Hearing (House)
- 2025-02-19: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-02-19: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-02-19: Introduced (House)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-17: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=5729897c-4ec3-4089-ba7d-cf544edfb780)
- Introduced, 2025-02-19: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f7dfd3bb-82a9-4269-9789-a5479a62f38c)

## 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=5729897c-4ec3-4089-ba7d-cf544edfb780)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f7dfd3bb-82a9-4269-9789-a5479a62f38c)

## 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-HB578-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).