Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB285: Generally revise Montana environmental policy act
Status: Signed into law, May 5, 2025
What the bill says
An act generally revising environmental laws related to the policy, purpose, intent, venue, procedures, and constitutional considerations of the montana environmental policy act; eliminating certain laws on policies, goals, constitutional determinations, and venues of the montana environmental policy act; establishing the revised policy, purpose, and intent of the act and the purpose of environmental analysis; reaffirming existing law that the montana environmental policy act is procedural…
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT GENERALLY REVISING ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS RELATED TO THE POLICY, PURPOSE, INTENT, VENUE, PROCEDURES, AND CONSTITUTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS OF THE MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT; ELIMINATING CERTAIN LAWS ON POLICIES, GOALS, CONSTITUTIONAL DETERMINATIONS, AND VENUES OF THE MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT; ESTABLISHING THE REVISED POLICY, PURPOSE, AND INTENT OF THE ACT AND THE PURPOSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS; REAFFIRMING EXISTING LAW THAT THE MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT IS PROCEDURAL; PROVIDING THAT A PLAINTIFF HAS THE BURDEN OF ESTABLISHING THE UNCONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE UNDERLYING STATUTE FOR LICENSING OR PERMITTING DECISIONS OR ACTIVITIES UNDER TITLES 75 OR 82; PROVIDING THAT VENUE IN DISTRICT COURT MUST BE IN THE COUNTY WHERE THE ACTIVITY SUBJECT TO THE PROCEEDING IS PROPOSED TO OCCUR OR WILL OCCUR; AMENDING SECTIONS 5-16-102, 75-1-102, 75-1-104, 75-1-106, 75-1-201, 75-1-208, AND 75-1-324, MCA; REPEALING SECTIONS 75-1-103, 75-1-105, 75-1-107, AND 75-1108, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the Department of Environmental Quality convened a multidisciplinary work group to review and recommend updates to the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) during the summer of 2024. That work group recommended that the Legislature confirm the importance of MEPA as a valuable data gathering and analytical tool intended to provide sound and objective information to the public, agency decisionmakers, and lawmakers as each strives to make fully informed decisions; and WHEREAS, Article II, section 3, of …
Sponsors
- Ler, Brandon (R, 33) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Chapter Number Assigned
- : (H) Signed by Governor
- : Chapter Number Assigned
- : (H) Signed by Governor
- : (H) Transmitted to Governor
- : (S) Signed by President
- : (H) Signed by Speaker
- : (H) Revised Fiscal Note Printed
- : (H) Fiscal Note Unsigned
- : (H) Transmitted to Governor
Votes
- Do Concur (April 15, 2025): 63 yea, 34 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 14, 2025): 61 yea, 35 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 4, 2025): 31 yea, 18 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 3, 2025): 30 yea, 19 nay, passed
- Do Pass (February 13, 2025): 57 yea, 42 nay, passed
- Do Pass (February 12, 2025): 58 yea, 42 nay, passed
Subjects: Environmental Protection
Common questions
- What is HB285?
- HB285 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Generally revise Montana environmental policy act.
- What does HB285 do?
- In its own words: An act generally revising environmental laws related to the policy, purpose, intent, venue, procedures, and constitutional considerations of the montana environmental policy act; eliminating certain laws on policies, goals, constitutional determinations, and venues of the montana environmental policy act; establishing the revised policy, purpose, and intent of the act and the purpose of environmental analysis; reaffirming existing law that the montana environmental policy act is procedural…
- What is the status of HB285?
- Signed into law as of May 5, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 8, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB285?
- Ler, Brandon (R, 33).
- Where is the official record for HB285?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2957
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.