# Montana SB 206: Generally revise laws related to child abuse and neglect proceedings and investigations Montana SB 206, Generally revise laws related to child abuse and neglect proceedings and investigations, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Dennis Lenz (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-04-17 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB206-2025 - 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 206 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Generally revise laws related to child abuse and neglect proceedings and investigations - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-23 - Last action: 2025-04-17, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Dennis Lenz (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Family Law, Minors - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (298 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 14 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - 30-day assessment for therapeutic placements: benefit, medium. Within 30 days of placing a child in a therapeutic group home, a qualified person must do an evidence‑based assessment. The check lists strengths and needs and finds the least restrictive setting. It decides if family or foster care can meet the child’s needs. It sets short‑ and long‑term mental an… - New certified child protection roles: benefit, medium. The law creates two certified roles. A child protection investigator handles reports, investigations, and emergency removals. A child reunification specialist leads services and placements after removal. Staff must be certified before using these titles or doing these duties. The investigator repla… - Protecting kids during domestic violence: benefit, medium. When an investigation finds partner or family assault or strangulation endangers a child, the department must act to keep the child safe. It must try to protect the child without removing a victim parent. It must try to remove the alleged perpetrator from the home when danger exists. It must limit… - Faster, clearer permanency hearings for kids: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, the court holds permanency hearings, or if the court approves and no party objects, a foster care review committee or citizen review board may do so. The court may combine a permanency hearing with another timely hearing. Reviews for siblings can be joint or separate, but th… - Faster reporting in serious abuse cases: benefit, medium. The department must immediately tell the county attorney about sexual abuse or exploitation allegations when the alleged perpetrator is 12 or older or the claim is found during an investigation. If the victim is 14 or older and used certain confidential services, the department does not report; if… - No jail and more kin placements: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, a child removed for protection or care cannot be placed in a jail. When a child enters out‑of‑home care, the department may search for and contact extended family and share placement information to help with kinship placement and case planning. - Most changes start July 1, 2025: benefit, low. This law takes effect July 1, 2025. All rules start that day unless the law names a different date. - Clear permanency timelines and plans: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, a permanency hearing happens within 30 days if reunification services are not needed, or by the earlier of 12 months after the initial finding or 12 months after the first 60 days of removal. The court must hold a hearing and make findings every 12 months until adoption or g… - Faster hearings and family meetings: mixed, medium. If the department removes a child, the investigator must send an affidavit in 2 working days and file a petition in 5 working days unless acceptable care or a prevention plan is already in place. A show cause hearing happens within 20 days. Parents can join a prehearing conference within 5 days to… - Know your rights during investigations: mixed, medium. At first contact, the department must give you clear written rights. You can seek a lawyer, do not have to let staff enter or take drug or alcohol tests without a court order, and do not have to speak. You may record in‑person meetings if you tell the worker. You and certain relatives and your atto… - More transparency in child welfare investigations: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, an investigation may start from an anonymous report, but a child cannot be removed based on it unless corroborated within 48 hours by attributable evidence of current harm. Investigators must complete a written safety and risk assessment within 60 days and give a copy to the… - Certified child-welfare staff and clear roles: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, the same person may not serve as both investigator and reunification specialist in the same case unless the local office lacks enough staff. The law updates definitions and establishes statewide roles for child protection investigators and child reunification specialists. Ch… - Clear definitions for abuse and care: mixed, low. The law defines what a safety and risk check must cover. It lists crimes that count as sexual abuse and defines sexual exploitation. It explains who is a “youth in need of care.” It defines a treatment plan as a written agreement or court order with steps a parent must take. It also sets when withh… - Controlled access to child case records: mixed, low. Lawmakers may view certain case records in person after a written request, signing a confidentiality form, and an orientation. Records stay at the department, cannot be copied, and access ends 6 months after the request; the lawmaker may take notes to discuss with a parent or guardian. News outlets… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Dennis Lenz (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: James Reavis (Democrat), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-25 | House | Do Concur | pass | 99 | 0 | | | 2025-03-24 | House | Do Concur | pass | 99 | 0 | | | 2025-02-21 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-02-20 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | ## Actions (35) - 2025-04-17: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Signed by Governor (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Transmitted to Governor (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-03-31: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-03-27: Returned from Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-03-25: Sent to Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-03-25: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-03-24: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-03-19: Committee Report (House) - 2025-03-18: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-03-05: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-22: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-02-22: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-21: Transmitted to House (Senate) - 2025-02-21: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-20: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Revised Fiscal Note Printed (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Revised Fiscal Note Signed (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Revised Fiscal Note Signed (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Revised Fiscal Note Received (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Fiscal Note Printed (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Revised Fiscal Note Requested (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Revised Fiscal Note Received (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Revised Fiscal Note Requested (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Tabled in Committee (Senate) - 2025-02-04: Fiscal Note Unsigned (Senate) - 2025-02-04: Fiscal Note Received (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-01-28: Fiscal Note Requested (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-01-24: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-01-23: Introduced (Senate) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-23: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=0ee5d41f-b664-4c10-8bea-1ddba8e214b7) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-02-18: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=679670a1-19cc-4466-9173-c3093f196151) - Introduced, 2025-01-23: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=e775e51c-c9e6-4453-9262-45bb7dad9e11) ## 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=0ee5d41f-b664-4c10-8bea-1ddba8e214b7) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=679670a1-19cc-4466-9173-c3093f196151) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=e775e51c-c9e6-4453-9262-45bb7dad9e11) ## 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-SB206-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).