Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB703: Exempt GHG emissions analysis for appliances, vehicles, engines
Status: Signed into law, May 13, 2025
What the bill says
An act exempting certain agencies and departments from an analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from appliances, vehicles, and engines; and providing rulemaking authority.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT EXEMPTING CERTAIN AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS FROM AN ANALYSIS OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM APPLIANCES, VEHICLES, AND ENGINES; AND PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY. WHEREAS, the purpose of the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) is to ensure that environmental attributes are fully considered by the Legislature in enacting laws to fulfill constitutional obligations and that the public is informed of the anticipated impacts in Montana of potential state actions; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress has enacted the Clean Air Act and other standards to establish national regulations over greenhouse gas emissions and other energy related matters; and WHEREAS, the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act preempts state regulation of gas usage related to covered appliances, as recently referenced in California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley, 89 F.4th 1094 (9th Cir. 2024); and WHEREAS, the federal Clean Air Act preempts regulation of mobile sources by states under 42 U.S.C. 7543 and 42 U.S.C. 7507; and WHEREAS, the federal Clean Air Act preempts state regulation of out-of-state greenhouse gases, as recently referenced in City of New York v. Chevron Corp., 993 F.3d 81 (2d Cir. 2021). THEREFORE, because the Legislature has no authority to enact laws related to these subjects and a state cannot act contrary to these federal statutes, the purposes of MEPA cannot be fulfilled by analyzing greenhouse gas emissions …
Sponsors
- Schomer, Curtis (R, 48) · 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
- : (H) 3rd Reading Senate Amendments
- : (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
- : (H) 2nd Reading Senate Amendments
Votes
- Do Concur (April 18, 2025): 61 yea, 37 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 17, 2025): 97 yea, 2 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 11, 2025): 36 yea, 12 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 10, 2025): 35 yea, 12 nay, passed
- Do Pass (March 7, 2025): 58 yea, 41 nay, passed
- Do Pass (March 6, 2025): 57 yea, 42 nay, passed
Subjects: Rule Making, Environmental Protection, Buildings and Building Regulations
Common questions
- What is HB703?
- HB703 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Exempt GHG emissions analysis for appliances, vehicles, engines.
- What does HB703 do?
- In its own words: An act exempting certain agencies and departments from an analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from appliances, vehicles, and engines; and providing rulemaking authority.
- What is the status of HB703?
- Signed into law as of May 13, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 13, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB703?
- Schomer, Curtis (R, 48).
- Where is the official record for HB703?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2339
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.