# Montana SB 38: Generally revise laws relating to attorney fees and prevailing parties for veto overrides

Montana SB 38, Generally revise laws relating to attorney fees and prevailing parties for veto overrides, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Greg Hertz (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-08 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB38-2025
- 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 38
- State: Montana
- Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)
- Title: Generally revise laws relating to attorney fees and prevailing parties for veto overrides
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2024-12-12
- Last action: 2025-05-08, Chapter Number Assigned
- Sponsor: Greg Hertz (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Civil Procedure
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (184 yes, 114 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- No fee awards in veto override poll cases: mixed, low. The law updates who can get court costs and attorney fees in civil cases with the State or a local government. In a case to force a legislative veto override poll, if the poll does not override the veto, the plaintiff is not a prevailing party. The court cannot make the government pay the plaintiff…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Greg Hertz (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Tom Millett (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 58 | 41 |   |
| 2025-04-10 | House | Do Concur | pass | 58 | 42 |   |
| 2025-02-03 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 36 | 13 |   |
| 2025-01-31 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 32 | 18 |   |

## Actions (32)

- 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)
- 2025-04-08: Committee Report (House)
- 2025-04-08: Committee Executive Action (House)
- 2025-04-03: Hearing (House)
- 2025-03-26: Hearing Canceled (House)
- 2025-03-24: Hearing (House)
- 2025-03-24: Hearing Canceled (House)
- 2025-03-19: Hearing (House)
- 2025-02-04: 1st Reading (House)
- 2025-02-04: Referred to Committee (House)
- 2025-02-03: Transmitted to House (Senate)
- 2025-02-03: 3rd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: 2nd Reading (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Committee Report (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Committee Executive Action (Senate)
- 2025-01-22: Hearing (Senate)
- 2025-01-09: Fiscal Note Printed (Senate)
- 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee (Senate)
- 2025-01-06: 1st Reading (Senate)
- 2024-12-18: Fiscal Note Requested (Senate)
- 2024-12-18: Fiscal Note Unsigned (Senate)
- 2024-12-18: Fiscal Note Received (Senate)
- 2024-12-12: Introduced (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=950dba2f-9d86-41c8-a6c0-e2a467095390)
- Introduced, 2024-12-12: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=632d12c1-3bc2-4aa0-805d-ac47b69e2d3c)

## 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=950dba2f-9d86-41c8-a6c0-e2a467095390)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=632d12c1-3bc2-4aa0-805d-ac47b69e2d3c)

## 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-SB38-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).