# Montana HB 923: Revise categorical exclusions from nondegradation authorization

Montana HB 923, Revise categorical exclusions from nondegradation authorization, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Llew Jones (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-19 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB923-2025
- 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 923
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Revise categorical exclusions from nondegradation authorization
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-03-29
- Last action: 2025-05-19, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Llew Jones (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Water, Appropriations, Environmental Protection, Rule Making
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (292 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Skip nitrogen test when groundwater absent: benefit, low. The state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) can review some wastewater discharges as not significant without a background nitrogen test. This applies only when groundwater cannot be sampled because it is absent or very deep. All other rules for this review stay the same. The change applies…
- Small funding to update environmental rules: benefit, low. The state provides $500 from the general fund for the 2025–2027 budget period, starting July 1, 2025. The money helps the Department of Environmental Quality amend its rules as this law requires.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Llew Jones (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Bruce "Butch" Gillespie (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-18 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 49 | 1 |   |
| 2025-04-17 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 46 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-05 | House | Do Pass | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-04 | House | Do Pass | pass | 99 | 0 |   |

## Actions (23)

- 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)
- 2025-04-12: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-04-11: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-04-07: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-04-07: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-04-05: Transmitted to Senate (House)
- 2025-04-05: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-04-04: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-04-01: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-03-31: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-03-31: Hearing (House)
- 2025-03-29: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-03-29: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-03-29: Introduced (House)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=b1a6ebd3-3235-494a-8137-b501ecb3d668)
- As Amended (Version 2), 2025-04-03: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=593ecc7d-7e89-4f0a-867d-98ed377555cb)
- Introduced, 2025-03-29: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=b9029c9c-02c7-49a7-8959-7d79f8b61a53)

## 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=b1a6ebd3-3235-494a-8137-b501ecb3d668)
- [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=593ecc7d-7e89-4f0a-867d-98ed377555cb)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=b9029c9c-02c7-49a7-8959-7d79f8b61a53)

## 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-HB923-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).