# Montana SB 435: Generally revise laws related to mentally ill individuals Montana SB 435, Generally revise laws related to mentally ill individuals, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by John Esp (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-16 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB435-2025 - 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 435 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Generally revise laws related to mentally ill individuals - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-24 - Last action: 2025-05-16, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: John Esp (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Health Care Services, Civil Procedure, Institutions, Mental Illness or Incapacity, Social Services - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (478 yes, 19 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - New 72-hour holds and emergency detentions: mixed, high. The law lets a licensed mental health professional request a hold for up to 72 hours. It applies when, due to a mental disorder, a person cannot meet basic needs, has injured someone, or is an imminent threat. The clock starts at detention. The county attorney and the state public defender are told… - Stronger rights and remote hearing options: mixed, medium. The law protects the right to a lawyer and the right to treatment. You cannot waive those rights. The court may count video or audio as being present if everyone can see and hear each other. The court may let a person skip being there in person if the person knowingly asks, or if counsel, a profess… - Who pays precommitment mental health costs: mixed, medium. Bills for precommitment detention, exams, and treatment are paid in order. First the person (or a parent or guardian for a minor) or private insurance pays. Second, Medicaid or other public assistance pays if the person qualifies. Third, the county of residence pays, but not more than the public pr… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: John Esp (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Steve Fitzpatrick (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-17 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 49 | 1 | | | 2025-04-16 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 49 | 0 | | | 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 98 | 1 | | | 2025-04-10 | House | AMD-SB0435.002.001 Reavis DO PASS | pass | 84 | 15 | | | 2025-04-10 | House | Do Concur As Amended | pass | 98 | 2 | | | 2025-03-06 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-03-05 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | ## Actions (31) - 2025-05-16: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate) - 2025-05-13: Signed by Governor (Senate) - 2025-05-05: Transmitted to Governor (Senate) - 2025-05-05: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-29: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-20: Returned from Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-17: Sent to Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-17: 3rd Reading House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-16: 2nd Reading House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-11: Returned to Senate with Amendments (House) - 2025-04-11: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-04-10: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-04-10: 2nd Reading Motion to Amend (House) - 2025-03-27: Committee Report (House) - 2025-03-26: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-03-19: 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) - 2025-03-03: Fiscal Note Printed (Senate) - 2025-03-03: Fiscal Note Unsigned (Senate) - 2025-03-03: Fiscal Note Received (Senate) - 2025-03-01: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-02-28: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-02-25: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-02-24: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-02-24: Fiscal Note Requested (Senate) - 2025-02-24: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-24: Introduced (Senate) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-17: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=2ce51d54-fe94-4265-9b0f-091e98bb04b1) - As Amended (Version 3), 2025-04-10: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=3acb7bf1-9ce2-4b75-8bd5-209ba447becb) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-03-27: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=556af5d9-424e-4f6d-8a8d-b091f17a9899) - Introduced, 2025-02-24: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=b447a806-3efc-454b-ac5f-659d2a80d998) ## 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=2ce51d54-fe94-4265-9b0f-091e98bb04b1) - [As Amended (Version 3) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=3acb7bf1-9ce2-4b75-8bd5-209ba447becb) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=556af5d9-424e-4f6d-8a8d-b091f17a9899) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=b447a806-3efc-454b-ac5f-659d2a80d998) ## 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-SB435-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).