Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana SB388: Authorize recording of conversation with public official or employee performing an official duty
Status: Failed, May 23, 2025
What the bill says
A bill for an act entitled: "an act revising the offense of violating privacy in communications by providing an exception for a person who records a conversation with an elected or appointed public official or a public employee performing an official duty of the official's or employee's position; and amending section 45-8-213, mca.".
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT REVISING THE OFFENSE OF VIOLATING PRIVACY IN COMMUNICATIONS BY PROVIDING AN EXCEPTION FOR A PERSON WHO RECORDS A CONVERSATION WITH AN ELECTED OR APPOINTED PUBLIC OFFICIAL OR A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMING AN OFFICIAL DUTY OF THE OFFICIAL'S OR EMPLOYEE'S POSITION; AND AMENDING SECTION 45-8-213, MCA." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: Section 1. Section 45-8-213, MCA, is amended to read: "45-8-213. Privacy in communications. (1) Except as provided in 69-6-104, a person commits the offense of violating privacy in communications if the person knowingly or purposely: (a) with the purpose to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, or injure, communicates with a person by electronic communication and threatens to inflict injury or physical harm to the person or property of the person or makes repeated use of obscene, lewd, or profane language or repeated lewd or lascivious suggestions; (b) uses an electronic communication to attempt to extort money or any other thing of value from a person or to disturb by repeated communications the peace, quiet, or right of privacy of a person at the place where the communications are received; (c) records or causes to be recorded a conversation by use of a hidden electronic or mechanical device that reproduces a human conversation without the knowledge of all …
Sponsors
- Trebas, Jeremy (R, 10) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : (S) Died in Process
- : (S) Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal
- : (S) Tabled in Committee
- : (S) Committee Executive Action
- : (S) Hearing
- : (S) Referred to Committee
- : (S) 1st Reading
- : (S) Introduced
- : (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- : (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
Subjects: Privacy, Crimes
Common questions
- What is SB388?
- SB388 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Authorize recording of conversation with public official or employee performing an official duty.
- What does SB388 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act entitled: "an act revising the offense of violating privacy in communications by providing an exception for a person who records a conversation with an elected or appointed public official or a public employee performing an official duty of the official's or employee's position; and amending section 45-8-213, mca.".
- What is the status of SB388?
- Failed as of May 23, 2025. Latest action: (S) Died in Process (May 23, 2025).
- Who sponsored SB388?
- Trebas, Jeremy (R, 10).
- Where is the official record for SB388?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1650
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.