# Montana SB 121: Revise the land use and planning act Montana SB 121, Revise the land use and planning act, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Forrest Mandeville (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-13 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB121-2025 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Montana SB 121 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revise the land use and planning act - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-10 - Last action: 2025-05-13, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Forrest Mandeville (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Counties, Local Government, Planning, Property, Cities and Towns - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (392 yes, 5 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 8 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Stronger public voice in land use: benefit, medium. Local governments must offer continuous public participation on land use plans and rules. They must share drafts, take written and spoken comments, hold noticed public meetings, post materials and comments online, and respond in writing. They must keep records of outreach following the Secretary of… - Planning commissions get clear roles: benefit, low. Local governments can form or join regional planning commissions, and some existing boards can count as commissions. City‑county board participation may continue. Commissions must have an odd number of voting members (at least three), meet at least every six months, keep open meetings and records,… - Faster permit reviews and decisions: mixed, medium. After you file a complete application, the planning administrator checks for “substantial compliance” with local rules, looking at the whole plan. If it passes, the law requires a 15-business-day written public comment period and then a written decision. If comments show problems, the administrator… - Zoning limits building in hazard areas: mixed, medium. Local zoning must mark places where building may be denied for unmitigable hazards, not enough water, bad drainage or access, weak services, or high public cost. Building is banned in those areas unless approved mitigation removes the hazard. Approved mitigation cannot rely on building rules unless… - Clearer subdivision exemptions and utilities proof: mixed, low. The law clarifies which land splits are exempt from subdivision review and bars using exemptions to evade review. Before final plat approval, the certifying authority must confirm stormwater and needed municipal facilities will be provided. Required facilities must be provided on the timetable the… - Two-step local appeals before court: mixed, low. You can appeal a final administrative land use decision to the planning commission within 15 business days. You can then appeal the commission’s final decision to the governing body within 15 business days. You must finish these appeals before going to district court. You must file in district cour… - Immediate effect and special procedures: mixed, low. The law takes effect on passage and approval. Title 2, chapter 4 procedures do not apply to this land use chapter. Agencies must follow the procedures set in this act instead. - Cities plan annexation and edge rules: mixed, low. Cities must zone areas they expect to annex in the next 20 years. Those outside-city zoning rules are not enforced until annexation unless jurisdictions agree. Annexations must match an adopted growth policy or land use plan. Cities can extend zoning and subdivision rules outside city limits if the… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Forrest Mandeville (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-15 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-04-14 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 44 | 4 | | | 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 99 | 1 | | | 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 99 | 0 | | | 2025-02-14 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-02-13 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | ## Actions (26) - 2025-05-13: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate) - 2025-05-08: Signed by Governor (Senate) - 2025-05-01: Transmitted to Governor (Senate) - 2025-05-01: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-22: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Returned from Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Sent to Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-15: 3rd Reading House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-14: 2nd Reading House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-11: Returned to Senate with Amendments (House) - 2025-04-11: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-04-11: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-04-09: Committee Report (House) - 2025-04-08: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-03-07: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-17: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-02-17: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-14: Transmitted to House (Senate) - 2025-02-14: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-13: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-11: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-02-10: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-01-15: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-01-13: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-01-10: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-01-10: Introduced (Senate) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=a8f26fba-2676-46b8-be1b-c5e27e3ea0eb) - As Amended (Version 3), 2025-04-09: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1cda1779-51aa-4906-922a-56fbda596eba) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-02-11: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=b4adf007-aa15-447d-9e7c-d8a5be150f5b) - Introduced, 2025-01-10: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=3b19d177-9d8f-41e9-b430-455d8b86c8e6) ## 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=a8f26fba-2676-46b8-be1b-c5e27e3ea0eb) - [As Amended (Version 3) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1cda1779-51aa-4906-922a-56fbda596eba) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=b4adf007-aa15-447d-9e7c-d8a5be150f5b) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=3b19d177-9d8f-41e9-b430-455d8b86c8e6) ## 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-SB121-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).