# Montana SB 360: Revise election laws related to definitions Montana SB 360, Revise election laws related to definitions, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Shelley Vance (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-08 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB360-2025 - 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 360 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revise election laws related to definitions - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-19 - Last action: 2025-05-08, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Shelley Vance (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Elections - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (299 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - All changes take effect now: benefit, low. The law takes effect on passage and approval. Any part with its own date still follows that date. - Broader exemptions for religious organizations: benefit, low. The commissioner must read the law’s exemptions for religious organizations broadly. This makes it easier for religious groups to qualify for those exemptions. - Absentee ballot security and early counting rules: mixed, low. Officials compare your absentee ballot signature to your registration. If it matches and you are registered, your ballot is accepted. If you are provisionally registered, officials open the envelope to check ID and eligibility. If ID is missing or not enough, the ballot is provisional and you are n… - Campaign reporting deadlines and small-campaign relief: mixed, low. Undecided candidates must follow the lowest contribution limit of the offices they are weighing. Candidates file quarterly, plus on the 20th of March, April, May, June, August, September, October, and November in election years. Candidates must also file within 2 business days for covered contribut… - Clearer election and campaign definitions: mixed, low. The law updates many election and campaign terms. It defines accepted and challenged ballots, and sets how to track ballot number variance. It clarifies that ballots are paper, counted by hand or by machine. It explains what counts as a contribution and as coordinated spending, and what does not. I… - Stronger ethics rules for public employees: mixed, low. Candidates and state officers may not use state money for ads with their name, picture, or voice. Emergency messages are allowed if needed for official duties, and program‑related announcements by state officers are allowed. Public officers and employees can list outside‑work products in the state… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Shelley Vance (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Gary Parry (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 99 | 0 | | | 2025-04-10 | House | Do Concur | pass | 100 | 0 | | | 2025-03-06 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-03-05 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | ## Actions (24) - 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) - 2025-04-12: Returned from Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-11: Sent to Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-11: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-04-10: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-03-29: Committee Report (House) - 2025-03-28: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-03-18: Hearing (House) - 2025-03-17: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-03-07: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-03-06: Transmitted to House (Senate) - 2025-03-06: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-05: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-01: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-02-28: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-02-27: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-02-25: Hearing Canceled (Senate) - 2025-02-21: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-02-19: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Introduced (Senate) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=51f131bc-fab2-4719-ada5-5041ba417097) - Introduced, 2025-02-19: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=ce90ed38-02b9-4a96-95c1-65c27591c943) ## 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=51f131bc-fab2-4719-ada5-5041ba417097) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=ce90ed38-02b9-4a96-95c1-65c27591c943) ## 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-SB360-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).