# Montana SB 200: Generally revise cooperative laws

Montana SB 200, Generally revise cooperative laws, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Bruce "Butch" Gillespie (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-04-18 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB200-2025
- 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 200
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Generally revise cooperative laws
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-22
- Last action: 2025-04-18, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Bruce "Butch" Gillespie (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Utilities
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 5 (339 yes, 5 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Farmers can form for-profit cooperatives: benefit, medium. The law lets five or more people who grow farm products form a cooperative. Associations under this chapter can be for-profit or not-for-profit. They may form with or without capital stock. This gives farm groups and small businesses more ways to organize their work.
- Out-of-state co-ops get Montana rights: benefit, low. Qualified out-of-state cooperatives are treated like Montana cooperatives. They must be authorized to do business in Montana and follow chapter 17 rules. They must distribute proceeds and savings under this law or under their home state’s law. They receive the same rights, exemptions, and privilege…
- Fines for misusing cooperative name: cost, medium. The Secretary of State does not accept filings that use the word “cooperative” unless the filer is an eligible cooperative. If you misuse the term in a filing, you face a civil fine of $50 to $1,000 per filing. This does not apply to true cooperatives under Montana cooperative laws, to entities for…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Bruce "Butch" Gillespie (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Eric Tilleman (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-02 | House | Do Concur | pass | 95 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-01 | House | Do Concur | pass | 99 | 1 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-01 | Senate | Do Pass As Amended | pass | 50 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-01 | Senate | AMD-SB0200.001.001 Ellis D/PASS | pass | 45 | 4 |   |

## Actions (25)

- 2025-04-18: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate)
- 2025-04-17: Signed by Governor (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Transmitted to Governor (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-04-07: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: Returned from Enrolling (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Sent to Enrolling (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-04-01: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-03-28: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-03-28: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-03-18: Hearing (House)
- 2025-03-06: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-03-05: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-03-04: Transmitted to House (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-01: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-01: 2nd Reading Motion to Amend (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-02-26: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Hearing Canceled (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-01-22: Introduced (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=c7e8077f-a5d9-4788-b5bf-65a4ea1c50fe)
- As Amended (Version 2), 2025-03-01: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=0087b965-1df6-4ab8-9837-2f54ad6b8a99)
- Introduced, 2025-01-22: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=33860632-c384-4546-820d-0321cde3ccd7)

## 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=c7e8077f-a5d9-4788-b5bf-65a4ea1c50fe)
- [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=0087b965-1df6-4ab8-9837-2f54ad6b8a99)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=33860632-c384-4546-820d-0321cde3ccd7)

## 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)
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- [Montana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB200-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).