PRIA Logo™
MontanaHB 58669th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)House

Generally revise child safety restraint system laws

Sponsored By: Marc Lee (Democrat)

Signed by Governor

TransportationMinorsTraffic Regulations

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Updated child car seat rules by age

The law sets clear car seat rules by age. Under age 2: a rear-facing seat. Ages 2 to under 4: a rear- or forward-facing seat with an internal harness. Ages 4 to under 8: a forward-facing harness seat or a booster with a lap-shoulder belt. Age 9 or older, or if a child outgrows the booster’s limits: the adult seat belt. Seats must meet federal safety standards and be installed and used as the maker says. The department may exempt a child if a medical or size condition prevents safe use of a car seat.

Child-seat exemptions and one key removal

Some vehicles are exempt from the child-seat rule: motor homes, school buses, taxis, farm tractors, bicycles, mopeds, quadricycles, motorcycles, and motor-driven cycles. Any vehicle not required to have seat belts under 49 CFR 571 as of January 3, 2025 is also exempt. Ambulances and other emergency vehicles the department authorizes are exempt. The rule does not apply during a life‑threatening emergency for the driver or the child. The old exemption for two-seat cars is removed, so two-seat cars must now follow the child-seat rules.

State drops child-seat approval rules

The transportation department no longer has to issue a state list of approved child restraints. Federal motor vehicle safety standards still control what seats are allowed. This is an administrative change and does not change fines or payments by itself.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Marc Lee

    Democrat • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 390 • No: 156

House vote • 4/17/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 73 • No: 26

House vote • 4/16/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 63 • No: 37

Senate vote • 4/3/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 30 • No: 20

Senate vote • 4/2/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 28 • No: 22

Senate vote • 3/20/2025

Rerefer to Transportation-Tempel

Yes: 32 • No: 18

House vote • 3/7/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 84 • No: 14

House vote • 3/5/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 80 • No: 19

Actions Timeline

  1. Chapter Number Assigned

    5/19/2025House

  2. Signed by Governor

    5/13/2025House

  3. Transmitted to Governor

    5/7/2025House

  4. Signed by President

    5/6/2025Senate

  5. Signed by Speaker

    5/2/2025House

  6. Returned from Enrolling

    4/23/2025House

  7. Sent to Enrolling

    4/18/2025House

  8. 3rd Reading Senate Amendments

    4/17/2025House

  9. 2nd Reading Senate Amendments

    4/16/2025House

  10. Returned to House with Amendments

    4/3/2025Senate

  11. 3rd Reading

    4/3/2025Senate

  12. 2nd Reading

    4/2/2025Senate

  13. Committee Report

    3/25/2025Senate

  14. Committee Executive Action

    3/24/2025Senate

  15. Rereferred to Committee

    3/20/2025Senate

  16. Committee Report

    3/20/2025Senate

  17. Committee Executive Action

    3/19/2025Senate

  18. Hearing

    3/17/2025Senate

  19. Referred to Committee

    3/14/2025Senate

  20. 1st Reading

    3/14/2025Senate

  21. Transmitted to Senate

    3/7/2025House

  22. 3rd Reading

    3/7/2025House

  23. 2nd Reading

    3/5/2025House

  24. Committee Report

    3/1/2025House

  25. Committee Executive Action

    2/28/2025House

Bill Text

  • Enrolled

    4/22/2025

    PDF

  • As Amended (Version 3)

    3/25/2025

    PDF

  • As Amended (Version 2)

    3/1/2025

    PDF

  • Introduced

    2/19/2025

    PDF

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation