# Montana SB 251: Establish confidentiality for child and family ombudsman

Montana SB 251, Establish confidentiality for child and family ombudsman, 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 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB251-2025
- 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 251
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Establish confidentiality for child and family ombudsman
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-31
- 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 (295 yes, 3 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Stronger privacy in child ombudsman cases: mixed, low. The Office of the Child and Family Ombudsman keeps all investigations confidential. The office cannot share information unless the law allows. Your name stays private if you contact or ask for help, except as allowed in Montana Code 41-3-1214. A judge can review the office’s records in private if t…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Dennis Lenz (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Terry Nelson (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-26 | House | Do Concur | pass | 98 | 1 |   |
| 2025-03-25 | House | Do Concur | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-26 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 49 | 1 |   |
| 2025-02-25 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 49 | 1 |   |

## Actions (23)

- 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)
- 2025-04-01: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-03-28: Returned from Enrolling (Senate)
- 2025-03-26: Sent to Enrolling (Senate)
- 2025-03-26: 3rd Reading (House)
- 2025-03-25: 2nd Reading (House)
- 2025-03-19: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-03-18: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-03-05: Hearing (House)
- 2025-02-27: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-02-27: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-02-26: Transmitted to House (Senate)
- 2025-02-26: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-02-25: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-02-24: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Introduced (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=115d75fa-5fe3-40f6-8520-4ba4f614293b)
- As Amended (Version 2), 2025-03-27: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=ffe7ce5a-576d-4825-9e14-97822b81f3d1)
- Introduced, 2025-01-31: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=d90ba6d3-c682-4d78-989c-452871d9f1c7)

## 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=115d75fa-5fe3-40f6-8520-4ba4f614293b)
- [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=ffe7ce5a-576d-4825-9e14-97822b81f3d1)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=d90ba6d3-c682-4d78-989c-452871d9f1c7)

## 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-SB251-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).