# Montana HB 866: Allow the term "emotional disability" to be used instead of "emotional disturbance" as it relates to special education

Montana HB 866, Allow the term "emotional disability" to be used instead of "emotional disturbance" as it relates to special education, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Melissa Romano (Democrat); status signed, last action 2025-05-19 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB866-2025
- 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 866
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Allow the term "emotional disability" to be used instead of "emotional disturbance" as it relates to special education
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-03-25
- Last action: 2025-05-19, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Melissa Romano (Democrat)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Education - K-12, Appropriations, Developmental Disabilities
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (186 yes, 109 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- New term for special education records: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Montana allows the term "emotional disability" instead of "emotional disturbance" for special education services defined in 34 CFR 300.8(c)(4). This applies in state laws, rules, and education materials. The Office of Public Instruction gets $100 from the general fund for th…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Melissa Romano (Democrat), House
- Cosponsor: Sara Novak (Democrat), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-18 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 29 | 21 |   |
| 2025-04-17 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 36 | 14 |   |
| 2025-04-02 | House | Do Pass | pass | 60 | 35 |   |
| 2025-04-01 | House | Do Pass | pass | 61 | 39 |   |

## Actions (25)

- 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)
- 2025-04-24: Returned from Enrolling (House)
- 2025-04-18: Sent to Enrolling (House)
- 2025-04-18: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-04-17: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-04-16: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-04-15: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-04-15: Hearing Canceled (Senate)
- 2025-04-14: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: Transmitted to Senate (House)
- 2025-04-02: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-04-01: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-03-29: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-03-28: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-03-27: Hearing (House)
- 2025-03-26: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-03-26: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-03-25: Introduced (House)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=332abf9a-567d-4756-9daf-b0e32bafe282)
- Introduced, 2025-03-25: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=36ef5fd5-4189-4510-956d-6d04c2d13ff1)

## 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=332abf9a-567d-4756-9daf-b0e32bafe282)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=36ef5fd5-4189-4510-956d-6d04c2d13ff1)

## 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-HB866-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).