HB 523 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Providing for disposition of abandoned graveyard lots

HB 523 creates a process for public cemeteries to declare unused burial lots as abandoned. A lot can be considered abandoned if it has not been used for interment and there has been no contact with the owner or their heirs for 75 years or more. An individual can petition the cemetery administrator, who must then publish a public notice for three weeks to allow any owners or heirs to claim the lot. If no valid claim is made, the lot is deemed legally abandoned, and the petitioner may purchase it. This process does not apply to lots for veteran burials or those with confirmed human remains.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Feb 17, 2025 Signed May 5, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB0523_X(4).pdf → HB0523_X(5).pdf · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill simplifies the notice requirements for abandoned cemetery lots by removing the mandate to publish notices in local newspapers, instead deferring to existing state rules. It also adds two new exemptions: the process does not apply to lots containing buried human remains and does not apply to privately owned cemeteries, though private owners may choose to follow the procedures voluntarily.

Scope change

The bill narrows the scope of the law by excluding privately owned cemeteries from mandatory application while allowing them to opt-in, and by exempting lots where human remains are known to be buried.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement to publish notices in specific local or adjoining county newspapers, replacing it with a reference to existing state publication rules.

SCOPE

Added an exemption stating the law does not apply to cemetery lots determined to contain buried human remains, regardless of whether a marker exists.

Added an exemption stating the law does not apply to privately owned cemeteries, though they may voluntarily adopt the procedures.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 14, 2025 · House Mar 7, 2025

How they voted

45–3

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 50

Apr 14, 2025

D Democratic18

14 Yea 3 Nay 1

77% Yea

R Republican32

31 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 1, 2025

Signed into law

(H) Signed by Governor

lower

Apr 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) Signed by President

upper

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

(H) Signed by Speaker

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (45-3-2)

senate

Apr 1, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) Committee Report - (S) Local Government

upper

Mar 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Local Government

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Committee

(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Local Government

upper

Mar 7, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (67-32-1)

house

Feb 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

(H) Committee Report - (H) Local Government

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Local Government

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Committee

(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Local Government

lower

Feb 17, 2025

Introduced

(H) Introduced

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors