# Montana SB 362: Revise firefighter qualifications

Montana SB 362, Revise firefighter qualifications, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Tony Tezak (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-08 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB362-2025
- 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 362
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Revise firefighter qualifications
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-19
- Last action: 2025-05-08, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Tony Tezak (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: Local Government, City Officers, Fires and Fire Protection
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (284 yes, 15 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Basic qualifications for Montana firefighter jobs: cost, high. To qualify for a municipal firefighter job in Montana, you must meet basic rules. You must be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident. You must be at least 18 and have a high school diploma or accepted equivalency. You must have, or be eligible for, a valid Montana driver’s license.
- Medical exam, fingerprints, and records: cost, low. Applicants must pass a physical exam by a qualified doctor, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse chosen by the employer. The examiner cannot be your personal provider, and the exam must show no mental or physical condition that would stop you from doing firefighter work, following 7-33-1…
- Hiring rules for applicants with convictions: mixed, medium. Fire chiefs can allow applicants with past misdemeanors or felonies to qualify. But they cannot approve anyone who must register as a sexual or violent offender under Title 46, chapter 23, part 5. These rules decide which applicants with records can be hired for municipal firefighter jobs.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Tony Tezak (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Daniel Zolnikov (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kerri Seekins-Crowe (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 | 95 | 5 |   |
| 2025-03-06 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 43 | 7 |   |
| 2025-03-05 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 47 | 3 |   |

## Actions (23)

- 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)
- 2025-04-09: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-04-08: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-03-28: 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)
- 2025-02-21: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Introduced (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-12: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=3224b481-1610-420c-85ef-24e9da9869d5)
- Introduced, 2025-02-19: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=5bfb006f-ba8e-4933-805e-22c442b4b91b)

## 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=3224b481-1610-420c-85ef-24e9da9869d5)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=5bfb006f-ba8e-4933-805e-22c442b4b91b)

## 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-SB362-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).