HB 628 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws

HB 628 updates Montana's early literacy program to include broader academic skills ("scholastic literacy") and adjusts enrollment rules for school districts. It allows districts to enroll up to one student already meeting grade-level reading/math expectations ("on-target") for every three students needing intervention in classroom or Jumpstart programs. The bill directly affects kindergarten through 3rd-grade students in Montana public schools identified as below reading/math proficiency, with school districts using state-approved assessments to determine eligibility. Key changes include expanding the program's scope beyond basic reading and modifying enrollment ratios to better align student needs with available support.
Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Jun 2025
Senate Passage
Jun 2025
Vetoed
Jul 2025
Introduced Feb 21, 2025 Vetoed Jul 23, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB0628_X(1).pdf HB0628_X(2).pdf · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended to change the student-to-teacher ratio for classroom-based interventions from one student for every three eligible students to one student for every five eligible students. This adjustment relaxes the staffing requirements, allowing districts to serve more students with the same level of intervention support. The change also clarifies that students enrolled in Jumpstart interventions can be counted toward these limits, ensuring consistency across different intervention types.
Scope change
The bill's scope regarding intervention staffing ratios was broadened to allow for a higher number of eligible students per interventionist.
REQUIREMENT

The ratio for classroom-based interventions was changed from one student for every three eligible students to one student for every five eligible students.

The text was updated to explicitly state that the one-in-five ratio applies to both classroom-based and Jumpstart interventions.

TIMELINE

The effective date and applicability date provisions were retained without substantive change.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 10, 2025 · House Apr 17, 2025

How they voted

3513
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 50
Apr 10, 2025
D Democratic18
18 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican32
17 Yea 13 Nay 2
53% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
64
Key actions
12
Committee
12
Amendments
1
Jul 23, 2025
Vetoed
(H) Veto Override
lower
Jun 21, 2025
Vetoed
(H) Veto Override Vote in Progress
lower
Jun 19, 2025
Vetoed
(H) Vetoed by Governor
lower
Jun 9, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Signed by President
upper
Jun 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Signed by Speaker
lower
Apr 17, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (79-20-1)
house
Apr 10, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (35-13-2)
senate
Apr 10, 2025
Introduced
(S) Returned to House with Amendments
upper
Apr 9, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Finance and Claims
upper
Apr 9, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Finance and Claims
upper
Apr 5, 2025
Committee
(S) Rereferred to Committee - (S) Finance and Claims
upper
Mar 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Education and Cultural Resources
upper
Mar 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Education and Cultural Resources
upper
Mar 6, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Education and Cultural Resources
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Appropriations
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Appropriations
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Committee
(H) Rereferred to Committee - (H) Appropriations
lower
Mar 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Education
lower
Mar 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Education
lower
Feb 22, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Education
lower
Feb 21, 2025
Introduced
(H) Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Melissa Nikolakakos
Melissa Nikolakakos
RRepublican
MT
20