Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana HB735: Generally revising alcohol laws
Status: Signed into law, May 13, 2025
What the bill says
An act generally revising alcohol license laws; providing definitions; providing licensed entities that must have applicants submit fingerprints; amending sections 16-1-106 and 16-4-414, mca; and providing an immediate effective date.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT GENERALLY REVISING ALCOHOL LICENSE LAWS; PROVIDING DEFINITIONS; PROVIDING LICENSED ENTITIES THAT MUST HAVE APPLICANTS SUBMIT FINGERPRINTS; AMENDING SECTIONS 16-1-106 AND 16-4-414, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE. Section 1. Section 16-1-106, MCA, is amended to read: "16-1-106. Definitions. As used in this code, the following definitions apply: (1) "Agency franchise agreement" means an agreement between the department and a person appointed to sell liquor as a commission merchant rather than as an employee. (2) "Agency liquor store" means a store operated under an agency franchise agreement in accordance with this code for the purpose of selling liquor at either the posted or the retail price for off-premises consumption. (3) "Alcohol" means ethyl alcohol, also called ethanol, or the hydrated oxide of ethyl. (4) "Alcoholic beverage" means a compound produced and sold for human consumption as a drink that contains more than 0.5% of alcohol by volume. (5) (a) "Beer" or (ii) an alcoholic beverage containing not more than 14% alcohol by volume: (A) that is made by the alcoholic fermentation of an infusion or decoction, or a combination of both, in potable brewing water, of malted cereal grain; and (B) in which the sugars used for fermentation of the alcoholic beverage are at least 75% derived from malted cereal grain measured as a percentage of the total …
Sponsors
- Fitzpatrick, Steve (R, 24) · primary sponsor
- Curdy, Willis (D, 49)
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 14, 2025): 44 yea, 4 nay, passed
- Do Concur (April 12, 2025): 48 yea, 2 nay, passed
- Do Pass (March 7, 2025): 96 yea, 3 nay, passed
- Do Pass (March 6, 2025): 98 yea, 1 nay, passed
Subjects: Alcohol
Common questions
- What is HB735?
- HB735 is a bill in the Montana Legislature (2025 Regular Session): Generally revising alcohol laws.
- What does HB735 do?
- In its own words: An act generally revising alcohol license laws; providing definitions; providing licensed entities that must have applicants submit fingerprints; amending sections 16-1-106 and 16-4-414, mca; and providing an immediate effective date.
- What is the status of HB735?
- Signed into law as of May 13, 2025. Latest action: Chapter Number Assigned (May 13, 2025).
- Who sponsored HB735?
- Fitzpatrick, Steve (R, 24), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB735?
- On the Montana Legislature website: https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0593
Source: official Montana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.