SB 246 Montana Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Provide for Montana First Procurement laws and establish reporting requirements

SB 246 establishes new rules for how Montana governmental bodies can purchase food products. It allows for the direct purchase of food produced in Montana, rather than requiring standard bidding procedures, if certain conditions are met. These conditions include the Montana-produced food being of equivalent quality and sufficient quantity, and its bid not exceeding or only reasonably exceeding the lowest bid for out-of-state products without needing additional budget. The bill also requires the state department to adopt rules for this purchasing method and establish reporting requirements for these food procurements.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 30, 2025 Signed May 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB0246_2(12).pdf → SB0246_X.pdf · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill was finalized and enrolled for signature, changing the header from a draft version to an official enrolled bill. The substantive legal text regarding food procurement reporting requirements remains identical to the previous draft, with no new policy changes, funding adjustments, or modified definitions.

Scope change

No change in the scope of applicability; the bill continues to apply to the expenditure of public funds and procurement of supplies or services by governmental bodies.

TECHNICAL

Updated document headers and page markers to reflect the bill's transition from a draft version to an official enrolled bill ready for the Governor's signature.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 8, 2025 · House Apr 2, 2025

How they voted

41–7

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 50

Apr 8, 2025

D Democratic18

17 Yea 1

94% Yea

R Republican32

24 Yea 7 Nay 1

75% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 5, 2025

Signed into law

(S) Signed by Governor

upper

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

(H) Signed by Speaker

lower

Apr 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) Signed by President

upper

Apr 8, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (41-7-2)

senate

Apr 3, 2025

Introduced

(H) Returned to Senate with Amendments

lower

Apr 2, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (60-35-5)

house

Mar 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

(H) Committee Report - (H) State Administration

lower

Mar 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) State Administration

lower

Mar 3, 2025

Committee

(H) Referred to Committee - (H) State Administration

lower

Feb 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) Committee Report - (S) State Administration

upper

Feb 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) State Administration

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Committee

(S) Referred to Committee - (S) State Administration

upper

Jan 30, 2025

Introduced

(S) Introduced

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors