# Montana HB 599: Revise student data collection laws Montana HB 599, Revise student data collection laws, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Melissa Nikolakakos (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-19 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB599-2025 - 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 599 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revise student data collection laws - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-20 - Last action: 2025-05-19, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Melissa Nikolakakos (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Information Technology, Privacy, Education - K-12, Minors - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (248 yes, 150 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 7 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Parental consent for biometrics and recordings: benefit, medium. Schools and government must get your permission before taking, sharing, or storing a biometric scan of your child. They must also get your consent before creating, keeping, or sharing your child's blood or DNA records, unless a court orders it. Your consent is required before they make audio or vid… - Parents control children’s health care: benefit, medium. You have the right to consent to all physical and mental health care for your child. You can review all of your child's medical records, including records from school-run clinics. School and other government workers, except police, cannot pressure a child to hide information from you. They also can… - Parents can sue to enforce rights: benefit, medium. If your parental rights under this law or related sections are violated, you can sue or raise it as a defense. The winning party can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs. - Parents control care and schooling: benefit, medium. The law reserves all fundamental rights to parents for children under 18. You decide where your child learns: public, private, religious, or home school. You also direct your child’s upbringing and moral or religious training. Montana government bodies cannot interfere unless they show a compelling… - Stronger rights over school data: benefit, medium. You can see all your child's school records, both paper and electronic. Schools must let you opt your child out of surveys or data collection that do not use personal identifiers. Schools must get your permission before collecting data that uses your child’s personal information, including demograp… - School notices, trips, and attendance: benefit, low. Schools must promptly tell you if they suspect your child was abused or a crime was committed against them, unless you are the suspected abuser. You can excuse your child from school for religious reasons. You have the right to join parent-teacher groups approved by the school board. Before a schoo… - Who is covered and legal limits: mixed, low. The law defines who is a parent: a biological or adoptive parent, or someone given exclusive authority over a child's welfare. It explains which public bodies are covered, including the state, cities, counties, and school districts. It defines a substantial burden on parents to include taking away… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Melissa Nikolakakos (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-22 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 29 | 21 | | | 2025-04-18 | Senate | AMD-HB0599.002.001 Emrich D/PASS | fail | 24 | 26 | | | 2025-04-18 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 27 | 23 | | | 2025-04-17 | Senate | Take HB 599 from Comm-McKamey | pass | 27 | 23 | | | 2025-03-07 | House | Do Pass | pass | 74 | 25 | | | 2025-03-05 | House | Do Pass | pass | 67 | 32 | | ## Actions (26) - 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) - 2025-04-25: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-22: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-22: Returned to House (Senate) - 2025-04-22: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-18: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-18: 2nd Reading Motion to Amend (Senate) - 2025-04-17: Take from Committee; Place on 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Tabled in Committee (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-03-31: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-03-14: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-03-14: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-03-07: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-03-05: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-03-01: Committee Report (House) - 2025-02-28: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-02-24: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-20: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-02-20: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-20: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-23: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=976610c2-8833-4c06-a9e7-bcff53af15ca) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-03-01: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=5d465320-4a61-410a-8728-5113f237a0bf) - Introduced, 2025-02-20: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=b9bac77f-c4db-47bf-998a-8136b1436fc0) ## 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=976610c2-8833-4c06-a9e7-bcff53af15ca) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=5d465320-4a61-410a-8728-5113f237a0bf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=b9bac77f-c4db-47bf-998a-8136b1436fc0) ## 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-HB599-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).