HB 697 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Clarify government employee privacy rights

HB 697 clarifies that public employees in Montana do not have an expectation of privacy in electronic communications sent or received through systems provided and managed by their public agency. This means that any communications, including personal ones, made using public agency equipment are subject to public records laws and agency policies. As a result, public agencies would not be required to review these communications for privacy implications when responding to public information requests.
Bill status died 2 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Failed
Mar 2025
Governor
Introduced Feb 24, 2025 Last action May 20, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

LC3431.pdf HB0697_1.pdf · 1 edit
MINOR
The bill was renumbered from LC 3431 to HB 697 and updated with a new title format. The substantive policy content regarding public employee communications and privacy remains unchanged.
TECHNICAL

Bill number changed from LC 3431 to HB 697 with updated header formatting and authorized print version designation.

Floor votes · House Mar 6, 2025

How they voted

4059
Failed · 1 other
Total votes 100
Mar 6, 2025
D Democratic42
2 Yea 40 Nay
95% Nay
R Republican58
38 Yea 19 Nay 1
65% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
23
Key actions
2
Committee
3
Mar 6, 2025
Vote failed
House Vote: fail (40-59-1)
house
Mar 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Judiciary
lower
Mar 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Judiciary
lower
Feb 24, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Judiciary
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