Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB466: Provide categorical exclusions from MEPA
Status: Signed into law, May 5, 2025
What the bill says
An act providing for categorical exclusions in the montana environmental policy act; providing an exemption to the department of administration for construction and maintenance on state land; providing an exemption to the department of commerce for historic preservation grants; amending section 75-1-220, mca; and providing an effective date.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS IN THE MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT; PROVIDING AN EXEMPTION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION FOR CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE ON STATE LAND; PROVIDING AN EXEMPTION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANTS; AMENDING SECTION 75-1-220, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, in 2024, the Department of Environmental Quality formed a dedicated work group to review and facilitate numerous open public discussions about the agency's implementation of the Montana Environmental Policy Act; WHEREAS, the department work group found that the definitions of certain terms in statute and rule, or the lack of definitions, creates unnecessary confusion and challenges in the implementation of a defensible Montana Environmental Policy Act; WHEREAS, recommendation 3C from the department work group's final report suggests presenting legislation to clarify problematic terms and definitions to provide more certainty for decisionmakers, practitioners, applicants, and the public and to reduce the need for the courts to rely on federal definitions or case law; WHEREAS, the department work group specifically identified the term "categorical exclusion" as lacking a definition in statute, although it is defined in model rules; WHEREAS, the federal government, both in rulemaking and statute, has previously adopted numerous categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act; and WHEREAS, it is the will of the Legislature to add clarity to the …
Sponsors
- Fitzpatrick, John (R, 76) · primary sponsor
- Galt, Wylie (R, 39)
Latest actions
- : Chapter Number Assigned
- : (H) Signed by Governor
- : (H) Transmitted to Governor
- : (S) Signed by President
- : (H) Signed by Speaker
- : (H) Returned from Enrolling
- : (H) Sent to Enrolling
- : (S) 3rd Reading
- : (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
- : (S) 2nd Reading
Votes
- Do Concur (April 14, 2025): 38 yea, 10 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 12, 2025): 38 yea, 8 nay, passed
- Do Pass (March 4, 2025): 94 yea, 5 nay, passed
- Do Pass (March 3, 2025): 99 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Environmental Protection, Recreation, State Government
Common questions
- What is HB466?
- HB466 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Provide categorical exclusions from MEPA.
- What does HB466 do?
- In its own words: An act providing for categorical exclusions in the montana environmental policy act; providing an exemption to the department of administration for construction and maintenance on state land; providing an exemption to the department of commerce for historic preservation grants; amending section 75-1-220, mca; and providing an effective date.
- What is the status of HB466?
- Signed into law as of May 5, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 5, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB466?
- Fitzpatrick, John (R, 76), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB466?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1423
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.