Housing

died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 501: Establishing the Keep Montanans Housed Act

SB 501, the "Keep Montanans Housed Act," would require Montana landlords to offer tenants the first opportunity to purchase their rental property before selling to a third party. Landlords must provide tenants with a written offer at a price comparable to market value or appraised value within 45 days, allowing tenants to challenge the offer using their own appraiser at their expense. The bill would directly affect tenants in qualifying rental units and landlords seeking to sell or vacate properties for demolition, repurposing, or sale. However, the bill died in committee on May 23, 2025, and never became law, so these provisions remain inactive.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires landlords to offer tenants first right to purchase, strengthening tenant protections and preventing displacement in housing market95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 126: Revise tenant moveout laws

SB 126 would revise Montana's tenant moveout laws by clarifying what constitutes normal wear (like small nail holes or normal carpet wear), limiting landlords' cleaning charges to professional cleaner costs, and prohibiting deductions for carpeting or repainting after a 2-year tenancy. It requires landlords to provide tenants with a copy of a professional cleaner's bill if used and shortens the timeline for refunding security deposits from 30 to 21 days after move-out. The bill also mandates written notice before imposing cleaning charges and restricts deductions to actual damages beyond normal wear. This directly affects tenants (who pay security deposits) and landlords (who manage those deposits).

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingStrengthens tenant protections by limiting unjustified deductions, requiring professional cleaner bills, and expediting security deposits - directly advancing housing affordability and tenant rights.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 502: Revising laws related to transfer of a single-family dwelling

SB 502 would have prohibited investment firms (defined as corporations or trusts investing pooled capital) from entering contracts to purchase single-family homes listed for sale within the first 45 days of listing. Sellers could void such contracts at any time before full execution. The bill directly affected investment firms seeking to buy homes and homeowners listing properties. However, the bill died in committee in May 2025 and never became law.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill strengthens seller property rights by allowing voiding contracts with investment firms, directly supporting property rights aspect of housing.80% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 421: Require the refund of certain residential lease application fees

SB 421 would require landlords to refund residential lease application fees within 20 days if a tenant does not sign a rental agreement. It directly affects tenants who pay application fees and landlords/managers who collect them. Key provisions include allowing landlords to deduct only verified out-of-pocket costs (like credit checks, capped at $25) for services actually performed, mandating written fee breakdowns at collection, and permitting tenants to sue for wrongful withholding with attorney fees. The bill aims to prevent landlords from keeping fees for unperformed services or vague charges. (Note: This bill died in process on May 23, 2025, per recent actions.)

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires landlord refunds of application fees, caps costs, mandates written breakdowns, and enables tenant lawsuits - directly strengthens tenant protections in housing.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 274: Provide medicaid coverage for medical respite care for homeless people

HB 274 sought to establish a medical respite care program in Montana for homeless individuals who are eligible for Medicaid. This program would have provided short-term housing in residential facilities with supportive medical services for those recovering from illness or injury but not requiring hospitalization. Services would have included treatment plan monitoring, medication management, immunizations, discharge planning, and transportation for medical appointments. The bill directed the Department of Public Health and Human Services to seek federal approval for the program and to report annually on its costs and the number of individuals served.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly expands Medicaid coverage for medical respite care, providing health services to homeless individuals and improving access to recovery support.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill provides short-term housing via medical respite care for homeless individuals, directly addressing homelessness and advancing housing access for vulnerable populations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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signed · Montana · House May 19, 2025

HB 931: Allow for nonprofit development and management of attainable workforce housing on state lands

HB 931 clarifies that developing single-family or multifamily residential housing can be considered a commercial purpose for leasing state trust land. The bill specifically allows nonprofit corporations to lease state trust land to develop "attainable workforce housing." It revises the definition of "commercial purpose" within state law to include such residential developments under a master lease. This change aims to enable the creation of housing for workers on state-owned land.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly enables nonprofit development of workforce housing on state lands, directly advancing affordable housing access for workers.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Montana · Senate May 16, 2025

SB 337: Provide a 5 year prepaid property tax exemption during subdivision development

SB 337 creates a temporary property tax exemption for land undergoing residential subdivision development. Developers can qualify by applying to the department and prepaying five times the most recent annual property taxes and assessments for the property. This exemption applies to the real property within the subdivision for up to five years, or until a habitable dwelling is built on an individual lot, or until 95% of the lots in the subdivision contain habitable dwellings. The bill's provisions apply to property tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill incentivizes new housing construction via tax exemption for developers, directly advancing residential subdivision development and increasing housing supply.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Montana · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 133: Revise impact fee laws

SB 133 revises the laws governing impact fees that local governments charge on new development. The bill removes the ability for governmental entities to include an administrative fee within impact charges and limits impact fee increases to the rate of inflation. It also updates definitions related to these fees and details the required documentation for their calculation, such as a service area report.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesLimits local government impact fee increases to inflation, restricting revenue generation for infrastructure projects and limiting fiscal flexibility.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill limits impact fee increases to inflation and removes administrative fees, reducing development costs to encourage housing construction, aligning with housing supply goals.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Montana · Senate May 8, 2025

SB 213: Revise the state building code to allow single stairwells in certain buildings

SB 213 revises the state building code to permit certain residential buildings to be constructed with a single stairwell. This change applies to buildings classified as Group R-2 occupancy, which typically includes apartments or condominiums. To qualify for a single stairwell, these buildings must meet specific safety conditions. These conditions include having no more than six stories, a maximum of four dwelling units per floor, an automatic sprinkler system, and at least one window or emergency exit provision for each unit.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill facilitates housing development by allowing single stairwells in certain residential buildings, reducing construction costs and enabling more efficient housing supply under safety conditions.80% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Montana · Senate May 8, 2025

SB 149: Revise emotional support animal laws

SB 149 revises laws regarding emotional support animals (ESAs) in housing, affecting tenants with disabilities and landlords. The bill allows landlords to request specific documentation from a licensed health care practitioner if a tenant's need for an ESA is not readily apparent. This documentation must come from a practitioner with an established client-provider relationship who has conducted a clinical evaluation and identified the specific therapeutic support the animal provides. The bill also clarifies that ESA registration cards alone are not sufficient proof and holds tenants liable for damages caused by their emotional support animals.

Topics ✗ HousingOpposes HousingAdds documentation requirements for ESAs, potentially restricting tenant access to housing accommodations under disability laws.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Housing