Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB618: Provide for a Montana individual freedom act
Status: Failed, May 20, 2025
What the bill says
A bill for an act prohibiting state and local government agencies and the department of military affairs from expending funds for memberships, goods, or services from organizations that discriminate and from expending funds on diversity, equity, and inclusion or on political or social activism; providing investigatory authority to the attorney general; providing rulemaking authority; providing definitions; and providing an effective date.".
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT PROHIBITING STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS FROM EXPENDING FUNDS FOR MEMBERSHIPS, GOODS, OR SERVICES FROM ORGANIZATIONS THAT DISCRIMINATE AND FROM EXPENDING FUNDS ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION OR ON POLITICAL OR SOCIAL ACTIVISM; PROVIDING INVESTIGATORY AUTHORITY TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; PROVIDING DEFINITIONS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: NEW SECTION. Section 1. Short title. [Sections 1 through 5] may be cited as the "Montana Individual Freedom Act". NEW SECTION. Section 2. Definitions. As used in [sections 1 through 5], unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions apply: (1) "Diversity, equity, and inclusion" means any program or initiative of a state or local government agency established for the purpose of: (a) influencing hiring, employment, or recruitment practices with respect to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, or religion, other than through the use of color-blind and sex-neutral hiring or recruitment processes in accordance with any applicable state and federal antidiscrimination laws; (b) promoting differential treatment of or providing special benefits to individuals on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, or religion; (c) promoting policies or procedures designed or implemented in reference to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, or …
Sponsors
- Nikolakakos, George (R, 22) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : (H) Died in Process
- : (H) Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal
- : (H) Tabled in Committee
- : (H) Fiscal Note Printed
- : (H) Fiscal Note Unsigned
- : (H) Fiscal Note Received
- : (H) Hearing
- : (H) Hearing
- : (H) Hearing
- : (H) 1st Reading
Subjects: Discrimination, State Government, Local Government
Common questions
- What is HB618?
- HB618 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Provide for a Montana individual freedom act.
- What does HB618 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act prohibiting state and local government agencies and the department of military affairs from expending funds for memberships, goods, or services from organizations that discriminate and from expending funds on diversity, equity, and inclusion or on political or social activism; providing investigatory authority to the attorney general; providing rulemaking authority; providing definitions; and providing an effective date.".
- What is the status of HB618?
- Failed as of May 20, 2025. Latest action: (H) Died in Process (May 20, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB618?
- Nikolakakos, George (R, 22).
- Where is the official record for HB618?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2523
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.