# Montana SB 168: Revise laws related to lakeshore protection

Montana SB 168, Revise laws related to lakeshore protection, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Greg Hertz (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-08 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB168-2025
- 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 168
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Revise laws related to lakeshore protection
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-05-08, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Greg Hertz (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Environmental Protection, Property, Fish, Local Government
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (213 yes, 86 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Payments to remove lake structures: benefit, low. The state or your local government can pay you to remove or change a listed lakeshore structure. They must decide the change is in the best interests of lakeshore protection and aquatic life. The law does not set payment amounts or guarantee a payment.
- Small lakeshore repairs skip permits: benefit, low. Minor ongoing maintenance, minor remodeling, or minor changes to these structures do not need a new lakeshore permit. Work is minor if your paid costs are under $10,000 over five years; do not count unpaid work you or others do for free. The exemption does not apply if the work involves significant…
- Three-year window, with exceptions, for lakeshore claims: mixed, medium. The law sets a 3-year deadline to start claims for lakeshore rule violations on clearly visible structures in the lakeshore protection zone. The 3 years run from the later of when construction finished or when a permit was issued. This applies to boat ramps, boathouses, boat shore stations, boat ra…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Greg Hertz (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Courtenay Sprunger (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 64 | 35 |   |
| 2025-04-10 | House | Do Concur | pass | 63 | 37 |   |
| 2025-02-18 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 44 | 6 |   |
| 2025-02-15 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 42 | 8 |   |

## Actions (23)

- 2025-05-08: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate)
- 2025-05-05: Signed by Governor (Senate)
- 2025-04-25: Transmitted to Governor (Senate)
- 2025-04-25: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-04-21: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-04-12: Returned from Enrolling (Senate)
- 2025-04-11: Sent to Enrolling (Senate)
- 2025-04-11: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-04-10: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-04-09: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-04-08: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-03-06: Hearing (House)
- 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)
- 2025-02-11: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-01-20: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=9bad30f2-8dee-407e-9fb0-a017e3d09a83)
- As Amended (Version 2), 2025-02-11: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=210dfcd4-9cb9-48c4-af89-912b2685569f)
- Introduced, 2025-01-17: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=510bd314-5d08-4f8e-b5fd-ad3f0edbc031)

## 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=9bad30f2-8dee-407e-9fb0-a017e3d09a83)
- [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=210dfcd4-9cb9-48c4-af89-912b2685569f)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=510bd314-5d08-4f8e-b5fd-ad3f0edbc031)

## 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-SB168-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).