# Montana SB 17: Revise laws related to hearings after the emergency removal and protective placement of a child

Montana SB 17, Revise laws related to hearings after the emergency removal and protective placement of a child, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Dennis Lenz (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-04-03 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB17-2025
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Montana SB 17
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Revise laws related to hearings after the emergency removal and protective placement of a child
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2024-12-06
- Last action: 2025-04-03, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Dennis Lenz (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Courts, Minors, Family Law
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (297 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Clearer hearing deadlines after child removal: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, the court holds the emergency protective services hearing within five working days after a child’s removal. Working days exclude weekends and holidays. Parents can join a prehearing conference in the same five working-day window. The court also holds the show cause hearing w…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Dennis Lenz (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Ron Marshall (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-18 | House | Do Concur | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-17 | House | Do Concur | pass | 100 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-29 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 |   |

## Actions (25)

- 2025-04-03: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: Signed by Governor (Senate)
- 2025-03-27: Transmitted to Governor (Senate)
- 2025-03-26: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-03-24: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-03-19: Returned from Enrolling (Senate)
- 2025-03-18: Sent to Enrolling (Senate)
- 2025-03-18: Returned to Senate (House)
- 2025-03-18: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-03-17: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-02-12: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-02-12: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-02-11: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-01-31: Hearing (House)
- 2025-01-31: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-01-31: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-01-30: Transmitted to House (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-01-24: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-01-10: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-01-06: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2024-12-06: Introduced (Senate)

## Bill text

- As Amended (Version 2), 2025-03-19: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=b4b68825-b148-49d3-99b5-a1d582171326)
- Enrolled, 2025-03-19: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=96fc07a4-d79d-403f-9ad5-7bf4fab1a750)
- Introduced, 2024-12-09: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=18decd45-b448-44c2-a08b-9c7ed12955ca)

## 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
- [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=b4b68825-b148-49d3-99b5-a1d582171326)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=96fc07a4-d79d-403f-9ad5-7bf4fab1a750)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=18decd45-b448-44c2-a08b-9c7ed12955ca)

## 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-SB17-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).