# Montana SB 182: Generally revise MT Indian language preservation program

Montana SB 182, Generally revise MT Indian language preservation program, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Jonathan Windy Boy (Democrat); status signed, last action 2025-05-13 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB182-2025
- 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 182
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Generally revise MT Indian language preservation program
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-21
- Last action: 2025-05-13, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Jonathan Windy Boy (Democrat)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Indians, Education - K-12
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (259 yes, 38 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 5

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Broader tribal-school partnerships and standards: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, the Office of Public Instruction runs this program with each tribal government. The rules set partner roles and define how to measure language fluency. Tribes can partner with public districts, community choice schools, nonpublic and tribal schools, colleges, and early learn…
- Equal state funding for each tribe: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, OPI distributes program funds equally to tribal governments. A tribe must apply and follow the rules to receive money. The act takes effect July 1, 2025.
- State funds can match outside grants: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, tribes may use state program payments as matching funds. This helps them win federal or private grants for language work.
- Tribes own program language materials: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, tribes own all cultural and intellectual property created under this program. Other partners must negotiate with the tribe to use these materials.
- Annual reports required, funds paused if late: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, participating tribes must file a yearly report to OPI in the format the guidelines set. If a tribe does not report, OPI stops sending program funds until the report is filed.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jonathan Windy Boy (Democrat), Senate
- Cosponsor: Tyson T. Running Wolf (Democrat), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 94 | 5 |   |
| 2025-04-10 | House | Do Concur | pass | 92 | 8 |   |
| 2025-02-05 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 35 | 13 |   |
| 2025-02-04 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 38 | 12 |   |

## Actions (23)

- 2025-05-13: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate)
- 2025-05-08: Signed by Governor (Senate)
- 2025-04-30: Transmitted to Governor (Senate)
- 2025-04-29: 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)
- 2025-03-29: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-03-28: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-03-21: Hearing (House)
- 2025-02-06: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-02-06: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-02-05: Transmitted to House (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Introduced (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1f821dac-2def-47fb-adea-55d9e10bb2d2)
- Introduced, 2025-01-20: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=afc02595-73ba-4292-ba9c-495095219933)

## 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=1f821dac-2def-47fb-adea-55d9e10bb2d2)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=afc02595-73ba-4292-ba9c-495095219933)

## 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-SB182-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).