HB 685 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Feasibility allowance for nondegradation policy

HB 685 establishes a "feasibility allowance" as part of the state's water quality nondegradation policy. This allows individuals or entities seeking to degrade high-quality state waters to request this allowance when working to meet water quality standards. The bill revises certain definitions, including expanding who is considered an "interested person" to include those requesting such an allowance. It also amends administrative rules and grants rulemaking authority to the Department of Environmental Quality to implement these new provisions, directly affecting industries and projects that impact state waters.
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 24, 2025 Signed May 19, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB0685_X(2).pdf HB0685_X(3).pdf · 1 edit
MINOR
The diff shows no substantive changes between the two versions of HB 685. The only difference is a minor formatting adjustment in the bill's title line, where a trailing period was removed. This is a purely technical edit with no impact on the bill's content, scope, or legal effect.
TECHNICAL

Removed a trailing period from the bill title line, which is a minor formatting correction with no policy impact.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 18, 2025 · House Mar 7, 2025

How they voted

3317
Passed
Total votes 50
Apr 18, 2025
D Democratic18
1 Yea 17 Nay
94% Nay
R Republican32
32 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
39
Key actions
9
Committee
6
May 13, 2025
Signed into law
(H) Signed by Governor
lower
May 6, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Signed by President
upper
May 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Signed by Speaker
lower
Apr 18, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (33-17)
senate
Apr 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Natural Resources
upper
Apr 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Natural Resources
upper
Mar 17, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Natural Resources
upper
Mar 7, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (56-43-1)
house
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Natural Resources
lower
Mar 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Natural Resources
lower
Feb 24, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Natural Resources
lower
Feb 24, 2025
Introduced
(H) Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Steve Fitzpatrick
Steve Fitzpatrick
RRepublican
MT
24