Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB59: Revise board of water well contractors laws
Status: Signed into law, May 16, 2025
What the bill says
An act revising laws related to water well contractors; revising who may contract on behalf of a licensed water well contractor; clarifying licensure requirements for the abandonment or decommissioning of wells; increasing the bond amount required for water well contractor licensure; revising complaint and investigation procedures; and amending sections 37-43-301, 37-43-302, 37-43-306, and 37-43-309, mca.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATED TO WATER WELL CONTRACTORS; REVISING WHO MAY CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF A LICENSED WATER WELL CONTRACTOR; CLARIFYING LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ABANDONMENT OR DECOMMISSIONING OF WELLS; INCREASING THE BOND AMOUNT REQUIRED FOR WATER WELL CONTRACTOR LICENSURE; REVISING COMPLAINT AND INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES; AND AMENDING SECTIONS 37-43-301, 37-43-302, 37-43-306, AND 37-43-309, MCA. Section 1. Section 37-43-301, MCA, is amended to read: "37-43-301. Licensed person to supervise all construction. (1) Any firm, corporation, or partnership may engage in the business of constructing water wells provided a licensed water well contractor is placed in charge of all water well construction. (2) The licensed water well contractor must be the individual who contracts on behalf of the firm, corporation, or partnership. (3)(2) A licensed water well driller, pursuant to 37-43-305, must be employed by a licensed water well contractor." Section 2. Section 37-43-302, MCA, is amended to read: "37-43-302. License required. (1) The drilling, making, or construction of water wells and monitoring wells is declared to be a business and activity affecting the public interest and requiring reasonable standards of competence. Except as provided in subsection (2), it is unlawful for any water well contractor, water well driller, or monitoring well constructor to construct, drill, alter, abandon, decommission, or rehabilitate a water well or a monitoring well without first having …
Sponsors
- Vinton, Mike (R, 40) · primary sponsor
- Galt, Wylie (R, 39)
Latest actions
- : Chapter Number Assigned
- : Chapter Number Assigned
- : (H) Signed by Governor
- : (H) Signed by Governor
- : (H) Transmitted to Governor
- : (S) Signed by President
- : (H) Transmitted to Governor
- : (H) Signed by Speaker
- : (S) Signed by President
- : (H) Signed by Speaker
Votes
- Do Adopt (April 25, 2025): 35 yea, 14 nay, passed
- Do Adopt (April 25, 2025): 57 yea, 43 nay, passed
- Do Adopt (April 23, 2025): 38 yea, 11 nay, passed
- Do Adopt (April 23, 2025): 58 yea, 42 nay, passed
- Do Not Concur (April 11, 2025): 99 yea, 0 nay, failed
- Do Concur (March 27, 2025): 50 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Water, Professions and Occupations O-Z
Common questions
- What is HB59?
- HB59 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Revise board of water well contractors laws.
- What does HB59 do?
- In its own words: An act revising laws related to water well contractors; revising who may contract on behalf of a licensed water well contractor; clarifying licensure requirements for the abandonment or decommissioning of wells; increasing the bond amount required for water well contractor licensure; revising complaint and investigation procedures; and amending sections 37-43-301, 37-43-302, 37-43-306, and 37-43-309, mca.
- What is the status of HB59?
- Signed into law as of May 16, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 19, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB59?
- Vinton, Mike (R, 40), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB59?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0555
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.