HB 688 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Generally revise marijuana laws

HB 688 would require counties that voted against legalizing recreational marijuana in 2020 (via Initiative Measure 190) to approve specific marijuana business types - like dispensaries, cultivation, or manufacturing - through local elections before new businesses can operate. Existing medical marijuana dispensaries could continue operating without new local approval, while new businesses would need local permission for categories such as adult-use dispensaries or testing labs. The bill also mandates specific ballot language for local votes on prohibiting these businesses and exempts counties that already approved Initiative Measure 190. Counties voting "no" on IM 190 must hold elections to allow or ban business types, with results requiring local government action to permit operations.
Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 24, 2025 Last action May 22, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

LC3457.pdf HB0688_1.pdf · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill has been renumbered from LC 3457 to HB 688.1, indicating a shift from a committee report or legislative council document to an official House Bill. The document now includes a formal introduction by sponsor B. Mercer and is labeled as an 'Authorized Print Version,' suggesting it is the finalized text ready for public distribution and legislative action.
TECHNICAL

The bill identifier was changed from LC 3457 to HB 688.1, updating the document to reflect its official House Bill status.

A sponsor line was added identifying B. Mercer as the introducer of the bill.

The document header was updated to include the text 'Authorized Print Version,' clarifying the official status of the printed text.

Floor votes · House Mar 7, 2025

How they voted

5742
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 100
Mar 7, 2025
D Democratic42
1 Yea 41 Nay
97% Nay
R Republican58
56 Yea 1 Nay 1
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
25
Key actions
3
Committee
4
Amendments
1
Apr 9, 2025
Amended
(S) Tabled in Committee - (S) Local Government
upper
Mar 17, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Local Government
upper
Mar 7, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (57-42-1)
house
Feb 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) State Administration
lower
Feb 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) State Administration
lower
Feb 24, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) State Administration
lower
Feb 24, 2025
Introduced
(H) Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Bill Mercer
Bill Mercer
RRepublican
MT
52