HB 396 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Generally revise bail laws

HB 396 revises existing laws concerning bail for arrested individuals. It requires that a person must appear before a judge in a court of record before being admitted to bail, and it clarifies that interstate agreements apply in certain situations. The bill expands the criteria courts must consider when deciding whether to release or detain a defendant, adding factors like the defendant's history of absconding and the costs incurred by a government to transport them. Furthermore, it revises the factors for determining the amount of bail, including ensuring protection from bodily injury and considering a defendant's prior abscondence history.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 5, 2025 Signed May 15, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB0396_X(1).pdf HB0396_X(2).pdf · 1 edit
MINOR
The legislative text for House Bill 396 shows minor formatting adjustments and the removal of a closing marker, but no substantive changes to the bill's policy, scope, or legal requirements. The core amendments to bail criteria and specific code sections remain identical in both versions.
TECHNICAL

Removed a closing 'END' marker and adjusted line spacing, which are formatting edits rather than policy changes.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 24, 2025 · House Mar 4, 2025

How they voted

3218
Passed
Total votes 50
Apr 24, 2025
D Democratic18
18 Nay
100% Nay
R Republican32
32 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
45
Key actions
9
Committee
6
May 12, 2025
Signed into law
(H) Signed by Governor
lower
May 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Signed by President
upper
May 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Signed by Speaker
lower
Apr 24, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (32-18)
senate
Apr 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Judiciary
upper
Apr 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Judiciary
upper
Mar 5, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Judiciary
upper
Mar 4, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (60-39-1)
house
Feb 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Judiciary
lower
Feb 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Judiciary
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Judiciary
lower
Feb 5, 2025
Introduced
(H) Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Greg Overstreet
Greg Overstreet
RRepublican
MT
88