Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB651: Allow for temporary door locks during emergency situations
Status: Signed into law, May 5, 2025
What the bill says
An act allowing for the use of temporary door locks during shelter-in-place or emergency lockdown situations; providing an exception to the fire code; providing a definition; amending section 50-61-106, mca; and providing an immediate effective date.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT ALLOWING FOR THE USE OF TEMPORARY DOOR LOCKS DURING SHELTER-IN-PLACE OR EMERGENCY LOCKDOWN SITUATIONS; PROVIDING AN EXCEPTION TO THE FIRE CODE; PROVIDING A DEFINITION; AMENDING SECTION 50-61-106, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE. Section 1. Temporary door locks -- limited exception to fire code. (1) A temporary door locking device may be used in a public building as defined in 50-60-101 to secure a door to a room that may be used during a shelter-in-place or emergency lockdown situation. (2) A temporary door locking device may be used to secure a fire exit, hallway, corridor, or entranceway leading to a fire exit if the temporary door locking and (b) is approved by the local fire department, law enforcement agency, or code official that has jurisdiction over the building. (3) As used in this section, "temporary door locking device" means a device that prevents a door from opening, provided that the (b) can be engaged or removed without opening the door; (c) can be engaged and removed from the egress side of the door without the use of a key and removed from the ingress side of the door with the use of a key or other credential; (d) does not modify the door closer, panic hardware, or fire exit hardware; (e) is not permanently mounted to the …
Sponsors
- Regier, Amy (R, 6) · primary sponsor
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 15, 2025): 50 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 14, 2025): 47 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Do Pass (March 7, 2025): 96 yea, 3 nay, passed
- Do Pass (March 6, 2025): 97 yea, 2 nay, passed
Subjects: Buildings and Building Regulations, Fires and Fire Protection
Common questions
- What is HB651?
- HB651 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Allow for temporary door locks during emergency situations.
- What does HB651 do?
- In its own words: An act allowing for the use of temporary door locks during shelter-in-place or emergency lockdown situations; providing an exception to the fire code; providing a definition; amending section 50-61-106, mca; and providing an immediate effective date.
- What is the status of HB651?
- Signed into law as of May 5, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 5, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB651?
- Regier, Amy (R, 6).
- Where is the official record for HB651?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC4026
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.