# Montana SB 18: Revise the definition of child abuse or neglect

Montana SB 18, Revise the definition of child abuse or neglect, 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-SB18-2025
- 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 18
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Revise the definition of child abuse or neglect
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2024-12-06
- Last action: 2025-04-03, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Dennis Lenz (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Family Law, Minors
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (282 yes, 15 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Clearer rules on child abuse and neglect: benefit, medium. The law updates what counts as child abuse or neglect. It covers real harm, a substantial risk of harm, and caregiver acts or failures. Exposure to drug distribution, drug production, or illegal drug labs counts. Sexual abuse and sexual exploitation under state law count. Physical abuse includes se…
- What protective services can provide: benefit, medium. The law defines protective services the department provides. Services help a child stay safely at home, return home after removal, or reach permanency if return is not possible. Services include emergency protective help, written prevention plans, and court‑ordered services.
- When leaving a child is abandonment: benefit, medium. The law explains when leaving a child counts as abandonment. It includes leaving a child in a way that shows no intent to resume care, or surrendering custody for 6 months with no plan to resume or make permanent arrangements. A parent being unknown for 90 days after reasonable searches also counts…
- Medical care rules for infants: mixed, medium. The law defines adequate health care for children. A parent’s refusal based only on religion is not abuse by itself. The state can still require care when the child faces imminent, serious harm. Withholding medically indicated treatment means not giving an infant life‑saving care a doctor reasonabl…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Dennis Lenz (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: SJ Howell (Democrat), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-18 | House | Do Concur | pass | 91 | 7 |   |
| 2025-03-17 | House | Do Concur | pass | 96 | 4 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 48 | 1 |   |
| 2025-01-29 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 47 | 3 |   |

## 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)
- 2025-03-20: Returned from Enrolling (Senate)
- 2025-03-18: Sent to Enrolling (Senate)
- 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)
- 2025-01-06: Hearing (Senate)
- 2024-12-06: Introduced (Senate)

## Bill text

- As Amended (Version 2), 2025-03-19: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f67c4b19-5a1a-4e67-a240-57d6744de847)
- Enrolled, 2025-03-19: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=88d2c60c-3f2e-4d24-a10d-35bf4dd89b97)
- Introduced, 2024-12-09: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=56c70158-72ec-41d7-8820-c4f7d4fe0caf)

## 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=f67c4b19-5a1a-4e67-a240-57d6744de847)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=88d2c60c-3f2e-4d24-a10d-35bf4dd89b97)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=56c70158-72ec-41d7-8820-c4f7d4fe0caf)

## 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-SB18-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).