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MontanaHB 58269th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)HouseWALLET

Generally revise criminal law

Sponsored By: Bill Mercer (Republican)

Signed by Governor

CourtsCriminal Procedure

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Keep your license and lower fines

Beginning July 1, 2025, your driver's license cannot be suspended just for not paying fines, costs, or restitution. If you did not post bail and you get a fine, you can get credit for each day you were jailed before sentencing. The credit equals your days in custody times the county's daily rate, up to the total fine. County commissioners set this daily rate each year to match the jail’s actual cost.

New limits on probation and DOC time

Beginning July 1, 2025, the law sets clear caps on deferred and suspended sentences. Judges can defer up to 1 year for misdemeanors and 3 years for felonies, or up to 2 and 6 years if a financial obligation is required. Community supervision is capped at 20 years for sexual offenders and some homicide cases, 15 years for violent and certain deadly-drug cases, 10 years for listed drug distribution crimes, and 5 years for other felonies. The 20‑year caps do not apply to certain theft cases when restitution ordered is over $50,000. Courts must suspend all but the first 5 years of a Department of Corrections commitment (with limited exceptions set in law), and DOC supervises felony probation unless the court orders otherwise. Judges cannot waive sex or violent offender registration.

State pays treatment for sexual offenders

Beginning July 1, 2025, when a judge orders chemical treatment for a sexual offender, the Department of Corrections pays for it. The department decides how long treatment lasts, but it cannot go past the person’s state supervision period.

Clear rules for jail-time credit

Beginning July 1, 2025, courts must consider and allow credit for time already served when revoking a deferred or suspended sentence, but may deny credit for a reasonable period tied to violations. You get credit for days in jail or home arrest that directly relate to the revocation. You also get pre‑sentence custody credit for time tied to the same conduct, but total credit cannot be more than the sentence. The same custody days cannot reduce multiple sentences unless the sentences run at the same time, and you get no credit in a new case while serving another sentence. Time in a correctional institution does not earn elapsed‑time credit on revocation, but court‑ordered stays in secure treatment count as incarceration for credit.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Bill Mercer

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 296 • No: 196

House vote • 4/16/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 59 • No: 39

House vote • 4/15/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 58 • No: 42

Senate vote • 4/8/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 31 • No: 17

Senate vote • 4/7/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 31 • No: 18

House vote • 3/7/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 59 • No: 40

House vote • 3/5/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 58 • No: 40

Actions Timeline

  1. Chapter Number Assigned

    5/13/2025House

  2. Signed by Governor

    5/8/2025House

  3. Transmitted to Governor

    5/2/2025House

  4. Signed by President

    5/2/2025Senate

  5. Signed by Speaker

    4/29/2025House

  6. Returned from Enrolling

    4/18/2025House

  7. Sent to Enrolling

    4/16/2025House

  8. 3rd Reading Senate Amendments

    4/16/2025House

  9. 2nd Reading Senate Amendments

    4/15/2025House

  10. Returned to House with Amendments

    4/8/2025Senate

  11. 3rd Reading

    4/8/2025Senate

  12. 2nd Reading

    4/7/2025Senate

  13. Committee Report

    4/4/2025Senate

  14. Committee Executive Action

    4/4/2025Senate

  15. Hearing

    3/27/2025Senate

  16. Hearing

    3/21/2025Senate

  17. Referred to Committee

    3/14/2025Senate

  18. 1st Reading

    3/14/2025Senate

  19. Transmitted to Senate

    3/7/2025House

  20. 3rd Reading

    3/7/2025House

  21. 2nd Reading

    3/5/2025House

  22. Committee Report

    2/28/2025House

  23. Fiscal Note Printed

    2/28/2025House

  24. Fiscal Note Signed

    2/28/2025House

  25. Fiscal Note Received

    2/28/2025House

Bill Text

  • Enrolled

    4/17/2025

    PDF

  • As Amended (Version 2)

    4/4/2025

    PDF

  • Introduced

    2/19/2025

    PDF

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