# Montana SB 208: Revise definition of "dependent child" in highway patrol, police, and firefighter retirement systems

Montana SB 208, Revise definition of "dependent child" in highway patrol, police, and firefighter retirement systems, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Laura Smith (Democrat); status signed, last action 2025-04-17 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB208-2025
- 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 208
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Revise definition of "dependent child" in highway patrol, police, and firefighter retirement systems
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-23
- Last action: 2025-04-17, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Laura Smith (Democrat)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Family Law, Law Enforcement, Social Services, Retirement
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 4 (291 yes, 6 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- More survivor benefits for public safety families: benefit, medium. The law updates who counts as a dependent child for survivor pensions in the highway patrol, municipal police, and firefighter retirement systems. An unmarried child under 18 qualifies. An unmarried child under 24 also qualifies if enrolled full time at an accredited high school, college, or trade…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Laura Smith (Democrat), Senate
- Cosponsor: Marc Lee (Democrat), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-01 | House | Do Concur | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-31 | House | Do Concur | pass | 98 | 1 |   |
| 2025-02-19 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 47 | 2 |   |
| 2025-02-18 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 47 | 3 |   |

## Actions (28)

- 2025-04-17: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate)
- 2025-04-16: 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)
- 2025-04-04: Returned from Enrolling (Senate)
- 2025-04-01: Sent to Enrolling (Senate)
- 2025-04-01: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-03-31: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-03-28: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-03-28: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-03-18: Hearing (House)
- 2025-03-05: Hearing (House)
- 2025-02-20: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-02-20: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-02-19: Transmitted to House (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Fiscal Note Printed (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Fiscal Note Signed (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Fiscal Note Received (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Fiscal Note Requested (Senate)
- 2025-01-24: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Introduced (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=a1c18b16-3ef5-4621-b657-b6bf1f09bc68)
- Introduced, 2025-01-23: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=a0c50f2e-1025-431a-a52d-fbe4c8e34ed5)

## 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=a1c18b16-3ef5-4621-b657-b6bf1f09bc68)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=a0c50f2e-1025-431a-a52d-fbe4c8e34ed5)

## 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-SB208-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).