# Montana SB 161: Provide for regulation and sale of aquaculture Montana SB 161, Provide for regulation and sale of aquaculture, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Greg Hertz (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-05 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB161-2025 - 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 161 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Provide for regulation and sale of aquaculture - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-15 - Last action: 2025-05-05, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Greg Hertz (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Agriculture, Fish, Water, Rule Making, Safety - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (483 yes, 14 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Easier sales for raw aquaculture foods: benefit, low. The law lets producers sell or use raw, unprocessed aquaculture foods in retail food establishments without state retail licenses, permits, packaging, labeling, or inspections. The product must meet the state definition of an aquaculture product and stay raw and unprocessed. Raw aquaculture is now… - New aquaculture definitions and sale rules: benefit, low. The law sets clear definitions for aquaculture and aquaculture products. It says aquaculture happens under controlled conditions, not in natural lakes or rivers. Aquaculture products now count as produce in state rules. Sellers of aquaculture products are exempt from standard weight‑or‑measure sale… - Law takes effect immediately: mixed, low. The law takes effect on passage and approval. All changes apply now. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Greg Hertz (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-04 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 47 | 2 | | | 2025-04-03 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 46 | 4 | | | 2025-04-01 | House | Do Concur | pass | 97 | 2 | | | 2025-03-28 | House | AMD-SB0161.003.001 Wirth DO PASS | pass | 99 | 0 | | | 2025-03-28 | House | Do Pass As Amended | pass | 99 | 1 | | | 2025-02-18 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 47 | 3 | | | 2025-02-15 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 48 | 2 | | ## Actions (31) - 2025-05-05: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate) - 2025-05-01: Signed by Governor (Senate) - 2025-04-22: Transmitted to Governor (Senate) - 2025-04-18: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-13: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-05: Returned from Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-04: Sent to Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-04: 3rd Reading House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-03: 2nd Reading House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-01: Returned to Senate with Amendments (House) - 2025-04-01: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-03-28: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-03-28: 2nd Reading Motion to Amend (House) - 2025-03-21: Committee Report (House) - 2025-03-20: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-03-17: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-25: Fiscal Note Printed (Senate) - 2025-02-24: Fiscal Note Unsigned (Senate) - 2025-02-24: Fiscal Note Received (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Fiscal Note Requested (Senate) - 2025-02-19: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-02-19: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-18: Transmitted to House (Senate) - 2025-02-18: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-15: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-01-31: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-01-31: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-01-17: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-01-16: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-01-15: Introduced (Senate) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=227f3749-a526-41a7-a75a-910513152316) - As Amended (Version 4), 2025-03-31: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=61301fb8-ffa6-4865-8dea-ec4ff13fb2a6) - As Amended (Version 3), 2025-03-21: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=5070637f-5e81-45a0-a3f7-757309cd6547) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-01-31: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=9c08acd8-43fd-4178-ac60-e1137625e548) - Introduced, 2025-01-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=a0616f3a-9ab8-4a01-a3da-ce08307695bb) ## 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=227f3749-a526-41a7-a75a-910513152316) - [As Amended (Version 4) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=61301fb8-ffa6-4865-8dea-ec4ff13fb2a6) - [As Amended (Version 3) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=5070637f-5e81-45a0-a3f7-757309cd6547) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=9c08acd8-43fd-4178-ac60-e1137625e548) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=a0616f3a-9ab8-4a01-a3da-ce08307695bb) ## 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-SB161-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).