Rep. Lee Deming

Maddy summaryHB 30 (Montana) would have required Montana courts to apply a "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard when reviewing challenges to state laws claiming they violate the Montana Constitution. This change would have directly affected anyone challenging a law in court - such as advocacy groups, citizens, or businesses - by making it significantly harder to prove a law unconstitutional. The bill amended Montana law to state that courts must uphold legislative acts unless challengers prove unconstitutionality "beyond a reasonable doubt," raising the burden from the previous standard. The bill died in the House process on May 22, 2025, and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 316 is a constitutional amendment bill that would redefine "person" in Montana's constitution to include all humans from fertilization or conception onward, regardless of developmental stage. It would specifically state that unintentional harm to an unborn child by a mother cannot form the basis for a legal claim. If passed, the amendment would require the legislature to create implementing laws and would be submitted to Montana voters in the November 2026 general election. The bill died in committee during the 2025 legislative session and has not advanced to a vote.

Maddy summaryHB 320 establishes Montana's Academic Prosperity Program for Scholars (MAPPS) to offer educational options for eligible students aged 5-19. The program provides state income tax credits to individuals and corporations who donate to educational assistance accounts for participating students, and also to parents for their qualified education expenses. A program manager oversees these funds and their distribution for educational assistance, with guidance from a new MAPPS council. Students participating in MAPPS are exempt from public school compulsory enrollment requirements.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 404, known as the "Defend the Guard Act," aimed to regulate the deployment of the Montana National Guard. It would have required an official declaration of war by the U.S. Congress or specific congressional action to call forth the militia before the Montana National Guard or its members could be released from the state for active duty combat. The bill defined active duty combat to include participation in armed conflict or hazardous service in a foreign state. It also clarified that it would not restrict the Governor's existing authority for state-controlled missions like training, responding to domestic emergencies, or homeland defense within the United States.

Maddy summaryHJ 14 is a joint resolution declaring that the Montana Legislature, Governor, and Judicial Branch all share equal responsibility for interpreting and upholding the state and federal constitutions. It asserts that no single branch has exclusive power to interpret the law or bind the decisions of the other branches. The resolution specifically states that the 1803 U.S. Supreme Court case *Marbury v. Madison* does not establish the courts as the sole or final authority on constitutional interpretation. It directs the Secretary of State to distribute copies of this resolution to various state and federal officials.

Maddy summaryHB 52 aimed to revise the Montana Administrative Procedure Act. The bill proposed that reviewing courts would no longer give deference to a state agency's interpretation of law or its past interpretations during judicial review. This means courts would interpret the law independently when evaluating agency decisions. Additionally, the bill required the publication of stipulations of agreements on the State of Montana website. These changes would affect how state agency actions are legally reviewed and increase public access to certain agency agreements.

Maddy summaryHB 948 clarifies that the office of the Commissioner of Insurance is not considered a criminal justice agency. This bill specifies that the department must refer all criminal matters, such as those related to violations of insurance laws, to the attorney general, the relevant county attorney, or another appropriate criminal justice agency with jurisdiction. This change defines the scope of the Commissioner's office as regulatory oversight and consumer protection, rather than criminal investigation or prosecution.

Maddy summaryHB 439, "Creating sheriffs' first initiative for cooperation and communication," aimed to regulate arrests, searches, and seizures conducted by federal employees and agents in Montana. The bill would have required federal personnel, unless designated as state peace officers, to obtain written permission from the county sheriff before making an arrest, search, or seizure. It provided exceptions for situations like operations on federal land or when an immediate arrest for a witnessed crime was necessary. For some exceptions, permission from the state attorney general would have been required. The bill also allowed county sheriffs discretion on whether to implement these provisions and declared federal laws granting federal employees sheriff-like authority invalid in the state.

Maddy summaryHB 315 sought to revise alcohol laws related to restaurant beer and wine licenses. It proposed increasing the minimum percentage of a restaurant's gross income required to come from food sales, from 65% to 70%, for those holding or applying for these licenses. The bill also aimed to allow restaurants to serve beer and wine to patrons regardless of whether they ordered food, a change from the current requirement. Additionally, it would have given licensees discretion over their operating hours, requiring only notice to the department for any changes.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 723 establishes annual reporting requirements for medical facilities where an infant is born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion. These facilities must submit a yearly report to the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) by February 28, detailing information such as the infant's gestational age, medical actions taken, and outcomes. The DPHHS is authorized to impose civil fines for late or incomplete reports. Furthermore, the DPHHS must compile and publish an aggregate annual report of this data by June 30, ensuring that no individual can be identified.