HB488 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Allowing a disabled voter to electronically return a ballot.

What is the status of HB488?

Failed as of May 22, 2025. Latest action: (H) Died in Process (May 22, 2025).

Where is the official record for HB488?

On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC4226

Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session

Montana HB488: Allowing a disabled voter to electronically return a ballot

Q: What does HB488 do?

In its own words: A bill for an act entitled: "an act generally revising laws related to the electronic transmission of a ballot by a disabled voter; allowing a disabled elector to return a voted ballot using an encrypted electronic transmission system approved by the secretary of state under certain circumstances; requiring the secretary of state to adopt encryption and security standards for an electronic transmission system; providing an appropriation; providing rulemaking authority; amending section 13-13-246, mca; and providing an effective date and an applicability date.".

Status: Failed, May 22, 2025

What the bill says

A bill for an act entitled: "an act generally revising laws related to the electronic transmission of a ballot by a disabled voter; allowing a disabled elector to return a voted ballot using an encrypted electronic transmission system approved by the secretary of state under certain circumstances; requiring the secretary of state to adopt encryption and security standards for an electronic transmission system; providing an appropriation; providing rulemaking authority; amending section 13-13-246, mca; and providing an effective date and an applicability date.".

From the engrossed text:

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT GENERALLY REVISING LAWS RELATED TO THE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF A BALLOT BY A DISABLED VOTER; ALLOWING A DISABLED ELECTOR TO RETURN A VOTED BALLOT USING AN ENCRYPTED ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM APPROVED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES; REQUIRING THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO ADOPT ENCRYPTION AND SECURITY STANDARDS FOR AN ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; AMENDING SECTION 13-13-246, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND AN APPLICABILITY DATE." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: Section 1. Section 13-13-246, MCA, is amended to read: "13-13-246. Electronic ballots for disabled persons -- procedures -- definition -- rulemaking. (1) (a) Upon a written or an in-person request from a legally registered or provisionally registered elector with a disability, an election administrator shall provide the elector with an electronic ballot. (b) The request may be made by electronic mail. (2) (a) After receiving a request and verifying that the elector is legally registered or provisionally registered, the election administrator shall provide to the elector an electronic ballot, instructions for completing the ballot, a secrecy envelope or page secrecy cover sheet, and a transmittal cover sheet that includes an elector affirmation. If the elector is provisionally registered, the election administrator shall include instructions about what information …

Read the full official text

Montana HB488: Allowing a disabled voter to electronically return a ballot

What the bill says

Sponsors

Latest actions

Votes

Common questions