# Montana SB 282: Limit state government use of personal electronic data Montana SB 282, Limit state government use of personal electronic data, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Daniel Emrich (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-08 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB282-2025 - 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 282 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Limit state government use of personal electronic data - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-06 - Last action: 2025-05-08, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Daniel Emrich (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Information Technology, Privacy, Criminal Procedure - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (380 yes, 15 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Illegally obtained digital data can't be used: benefit, low. Data taken in violation of these electronic data rules is not allowed as evidence in criminal, civil, or administrative cases. Courts and prosecutors also cannot use it to support a search-warrant affidavit. Agencies must delete electronic communications they collected after an investigation ends,… - Warrant needed for most digital data: benefit, low. The law requires a court search warrant before the government gets stored data from your phone, tablet, or computer. It also bars state and local agencies from buying many kinds of personal electronic data—like message contents, precise location, tracking data, bank transfer data, and telecom custo… - Exceptions for prisons, state devices, and DOT: cost, low. Some areas are exempt from these privacy rules. Agencies can use, store, and share data on government-owned devices without these limits. Officials can get communications of adults or youth who are incarcerated without a warrant or investigative subpoena. The state transportation department’s motor… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Daniel Emrich (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-12 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-04-11 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-04-09 | House | Do Concur | pass | 97 | 0 | | | 2025-04-08 | House | Do Concur | pass | 98 | 0 | | | 2025-03-04 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 42 | 8 | | | 2025-03-03 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 43 | 7 | | ## Actions (31) - 2025-05-08: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate) - 2025-05-05: Signed by Governor (Senate) - 2025-04-25: Transmitted to Governor (Senate) - 2025-04-25: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-21: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-14: Returned from Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-14: Sent to Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-12: 3rd Reading House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-11: 2nd Reading House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Returned to Senate with Amendments (House) - 2025-04-09: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-04-08: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-04-03: Committee Report (House) - 2025-04-03: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-03-24: 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) - 2025-03-04: Revised Fiscal Note Printed (Senate) - 2025-03-04: Fiscal Note Unsigned (Senate) - 2025-03-04: Revised Fiscal Note Received (Senate) - 2025-03-03: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-01: Revised Fiscal Note Requested (Senate) - 2025-02-28: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-02-28: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Fiscal Note Requested (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-02-10: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-02-07: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-06: Introduced (Senate) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f868857a-2636-4f70-bc00-5549c4c67e4b) - As Amended (Version 3), 2025-04-03: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f5ff0e0a-c99a-43f8-9113-6941873b96e3) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-02-28: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=47aaa782-4f67-457c-83a1-89a80393a0e7) - Introduced, 2025-02-06: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=576adef8-46b9-4987-9616-47ad0f3d9ff6) ## 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=f868857a-2636-4f70-bc00-5549c4c67e4b) - [As Amended (Version 3) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f5ff0e0a-c99a-43f8-9113-6941873b96e3) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=47aaa782-4f67-457c-83a1-89a80393a0e7) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=576adef8-46b9-4987-9616-47ad0f3d9ff6) ## 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-SB282-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).