Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB655: Prohibit discriminatory action against persons providing adoption or foster care services
Status: Signed into law, May 5, 2025
What the bill says
An act prohibiting discriminatory action against a person providing adoption or foster care services based on the person's religious belief; providing definitions; providing remedies; and providing a statute of limitations.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATORY ACTION AGAINST A PERSON PROVIDING ADOPTION OR FOSTER CARE SERVICES BASED ON THE PERSON'S RELIGIOUS BELIEF; PROVIDING DEFINITIONS; PROVIDING REMEDIES; AND PROVIDING A STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. WHEREAS, the State of Montana seeks to place a child in a safe, loving, and supportive home whenever the state is required to place a child with an adoptive or foster family; and WHEREAS, adoption and foster care agencies in Montana assist families with adoption and foster parent placements of children; and WHEREAS, the adoption agencies and foster care providers of this state represent diverse organizations and groups, some of which are faith-based and some of which are nonfaith-based; and WHEREAS, children in need of placement services benefit from having as many adoption agencies and foster care providers as possible because the more agencies and providers that take part in placement services, the greater the likelihood that a child will find a permanent placement; and WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, 141 S. Ct. 1868 (2021), recognized the benefits of having more and not fewer adoption agencies and foster care providers, stating that "[m]aximizing the number of foster families and minimizing liability are important goals, but the City fails to show that granting [Catholic Social Services] an exception will put those goals at risk. …
Sponsors
- Oblander, Greg (R, 38) · primary sponsor
- Manzella, Theresa (R, 44)
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 8, 2025): 29 yea, 19 nay, passed
- Do Pass (April 7, 2025): 29 yea, 21 nay, passed
- AMD-HB0655.001.003 Neumann D/PASS (April 7, 2025): 22 yea, 28 nay, failed
- Do Pass (March 7, 2025): 59 yea, 40 nay, passed
- Do Pass (March 5, 2025): 57 yea, 41 nay, passed
Subjects: Minors, Discrimination, Family Law, Religion
Common questions
- What is HB655?
- HB655 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Prohibit discriminatory action against persons providing adoption or foster care services.
- What does HB655 do?
- In its own words: An act prohibiting discriminatory action against a person providing adoption or foster care services based on the person's religious belief; providing definitions; providing remedies; and providing a statute of limitations.
- What is the status of HB655?
- Signed into law as of May 5, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 5, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB655?
- Oblander, Greg (R, 38), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB655?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2955
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.