# Montana SB 19: Revise sentencing laws related to theft Montana SB 19, Revise sentencing laws related to theft, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Barry Usher (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-13 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB19-2025 - 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 19 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revise sentencing laws related to theft - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2024-12-18 - Last action: 2025-05-13, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Barry Usher (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Crimes - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 6 (274 yes, 124 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 7 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Identity theft penalties and restitution: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, identity theft penalties are tiered by the benefit gained. If no benefit or less than $1,500, penalties are up to a $1,500 fine and up to 6 months in county jail; if the victim is a minor at this level, fines can be up to $3,000 and jail up to 1 year. If the benefit is $1,50… - Broader rule to group related crimes: benefit, medium. The law removes the old $1,500 loss test from the common‑scheme rule. Prosecutors can group related acts that share one plan, even if each act is under $1,500. Grouping can raise the total value and trigger higher penalty tiers across theft and fraud crimes. - Higher penalties for deceptive practices: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, the law targets deceptive acts, like false sales claims or using someone’s card without permission. If the gain is under $1,500, the penalty is up to a $1,500 fine or up to 6 months in county jail, or both. If part of a common scheme or $1,500 or more, penalties rise to up t… - Stiffer penalties for forgery crimes: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, forgery penalties depend on value and whether it is part of a scheme. If the value is $1,500 or less, the penalty is up to a $1,500 fine or up to 6 months in county jail, or both. If part of a common scheme or over $1,500, penalties can be up to a $50,000 fine or up to 20 ye… - Stronger penalties for theft offenses: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, Montana raises theft penalties based on value. If property is $1,500 or less, a first or second offense allows up to a $1,500 fine and up to 6 months in county jail. A third or later theft at this level requires a $1,500 fine and 30 to 180 days in jail. If property is over $… - Stricter rules for unreturned rentals: cost, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, rental contracts must show the return time and penalty in bold print. If you keep the item more than 48 hours past the time in the contract, you can be charged. If the owner sends a certified-letter demand and you still do not return it within 72 hours, that is prima facie e… - Tougher penalties for bad checks: cost, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, writing a check you know will not be paid remains a crime. If you make the check good within 5 days after written notice, you may avoid conviction under the prima facie rule. For smaller amounts, the penalty is up to a $1,500 fine or up to 6 months in county jail, or both. I… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Barry Usher (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Steven Kelly (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-17 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 37 | 13 | | | 2025-04-16 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 47 | 2 | | | 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 61 | 38 | | | 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 63 | 37 | | | 2025-02-27 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 34 | 16 | | | 2025-02-05 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 32 | 18 | | ## Actions (43) - 2025-05-13: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate) - 2025-05-13: Signed by Governor (Senate) - 2025-05-05: Transmitted to Governor (Senate) - 2025-05-05: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-29: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-19: Returned from Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-17: Sent to Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-17: 3rd Reading House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-16: 2nd Reading House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-15: 2nd Reading Pass Consideration (Senate) - 2025-04-14: Revised Fiscal Note Printed (Senate) - 2025-04-11: Returned to Senate with Amendments (House) - 2025-04-11: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-04-11: Fiscal Note Unsigned (Senate) - 2025-04-11: Revised Fiscal Note Received (Senate) - 2025-04-11: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-04-10: Committee Report (House) - 2025-04-09: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-04-09: Hearing (House) - 2025-04-09: Rereferred to Committee (House) - 2025-04-09: Revised Fiscal Note Requested (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Committee Report (House) - 2025-04-08: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-03-17: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-28: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-02-28: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-27: Transmitted to House (Senate) - 2025-02-27: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-26: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-02-25: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-02-07: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Rereferred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-02-05: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-01-31: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-01-25: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-01-09: Fiscal Note Printed (Senate) - 2025-01-09: Fiscal Note Signed (Senate) - 2025-01-08: Fiscal Note Received (Senate) - 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-01-06: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2024-12-18: Introduced (Senate) - 2024-12-18: Fiscal Note Requested (Senate) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-17: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=473deb38-631c-4f86-be1b-2b182fbb3efe) - As Amended (Version 3), 2025-04-08: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=562c0752-e74d-4fb1-90a4-7b52ad4b543b) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-02-03: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=c590ddbf-ab24-4d9d-8a6b-6e5bde4865b7) - Introduced, 2024-12-09: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=fb500055-59e8-43ac-8a3c-382dafc7bdcb) ## 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 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed) - SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed) ## Sources - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=473deb38-631c-4f86-be1b-2b182fbb3efe) - [As Amended (Version 3) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=562c0752-e74d-4fb1-90a4-7b52ad4b543b) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=c590ddbf-ab24-4d9d-8a6b-6e5bde4865b7) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=fb500055-59e8-43ac-8a3c-382dafc7bdcb) ## 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 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025) - [SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025) - [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-SB19-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).