# Montana HB 655: Prohibit discriminatory action against persons providing adoption or foster care services Montana HB 655, Prohibit discriminatory action against persons providing adoption or foster care services, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Greg Oblander (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-05 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB655-2025 - 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 655 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Prohibit discriminatory action against persons providing adoption or foster care services - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-21 - Last action: 2025-05-05, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Greg Oblander (Republican) - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Family Law, Minors, Discrimination, Religion - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 5 (196 yes, 150 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - No state bias against religious parenting: benefit, low. The state cannot treat you differently in custody or placement decisions because you guide or plan to raise a foster or adoptive child by your sincere religious beliefs. This protects people who have or seek custody from bias based on their religiously motivated child‑rearing. It applies to state a… - You can sue the state for discrimination: benefit, low. If the state discriminated against you under this law, you can sue the state or raise this as a defense. You have two years from when you knew or should have known about the action. You do not have to finish any agency appeals first. Courts can order relief to stop the action or declare your rights… - State cannot punish religious foster/adoption providers: benefit, low. The state government cannot take discriminatory action against you for advertising, providing, or helping with adoption or foster care because of your sincere religious beliefs or policies. This covers individuals, religious groups, and closely held businesses. Discriminatory action includes denyin… - Courts must read protections broadly: benefit, low. Courts and agencies must read this law to give the widest protection allowed for religious practice. These protections add to existing federal and state rights. The law does not stop the state from giving other benefits or services that state law allows. - Placements may prioritize child's religion: mixed, low. When making foster or adoptive placements, the state may consider whether a caregiver shares the child’s religion. The state can give higher priority to a caregiver of the same faith. This can help caregivers who share the child’s faith and lower priority for others. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Greg Oblander (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Brandon Ler (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Theresa Manzella (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-08 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 29 | 19 | | | 2025-04-07 | Senate | AMD-HB0655.001.003 Neumann D/PASS | fail | 22 | 28 | | | 2025-04-07 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 29 | 21 | | | 2025-03-07 | House | Do Pass | pass | 59 | 40 | | | 2025-03-05 | House | Do Pass | pass | 57 | 42 | | ## Actions (26) - 2025-05-05: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-05-01: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-04-22: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-04-21: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-18: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-10: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-08: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-08: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-07: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-07: 2nd Reading Motion to Amend (Senate) - 2025-04-04: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-04-04: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-03-24: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-03-18: Hearing Canceled (Senate) - 2025-03-18: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-03-17: 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) - 2025-03-01: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-02-25: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-22: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-02-22: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-21: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-09: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=60f8a646-c485-4756-9a3d-dfe157fa4e31) - Introduced, 2025-02-21: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=4f827e4e-7d08-4224-900f-12d61425645a) ## 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=60f8a646-c485-4756-9a3d-dfe157fa4e31) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=4f827e4e-7d08-4224-900f-12d61425645a) ## 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-HB655-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).