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SB 182MONTANASession 2025State BillSigned into law

Enacted

Montana expands tribal flexibility and educational partnerships in Indian language preservation program

Original title: Generally revise MT Indian language preservation program

Last action · May 13, 2025: Chapter Number AssignedSponsor: Jonathan Windy Boy

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Does

Montana revises the state's Indian language preservation program starting July 1, 2025, granting tribal governments greater flexibility to partner with diverse educational entities, integrate with school district immersion programs, and utilize historical preservation materials.

Why it matters

Tribal governments gain broader authority to form educational partnerships with entities such as community choice schools, nonpublic schools, and early learning providers to advance language fluency across multiple generations.

Background

Article X, Section 1(2) of the Montana Constitution requires the state to recognize the distinct and unique cultural heritage of American Indians and commit to preserving their cultural integrity in its educational goals. context
The Montana Indian language preservation program was originally established by the legislature to support tribal efforts in preserving and perpetuating indigenous languages. context

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Montana tribes

Tribal governments receive greater administrative flexibility, ownership of intellectual property, and expanded partnership options for language preservation programs.

Directly affected

Office of Public Instruction

The office must collaborate with tribal governments to create guidelines, equally distribute funds, and report program metrics to the legislature.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to partner with tribal governments under the revised program?

Tribal governments may partner with public school districts, community choice schools, nonpublic schools, tribal schools, postsecondary institutions, and early learning providers.

Who owns the cultural and intellectual property created through program efforts?

All from program efforts belong entirely to the tribe.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

35 actions

May 13, 2025Senate
Chapter Number Assigned
May 8, 2025SenateEnrolled
(S) Signed by Governor
Apr 30, 2025Senate
(S) Transmitted to Governor
Apr 29, 2025House
(H) Signed by Speaker
Apr 21, 2025Senate
(S) Signed by President
Apr 12, 2025Senate
(S) Returned from Enrolling

Show 29 earlier actions

Apr 11, 2025Senate
(S) Sent to Enrolling
Apr 11, 2025House
(H) 3rd Reading
Apr 11, 2025House
(H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
Apr 10, 2025House
(H) 2nd Reading
Apr 10, 2025House
(H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
Mar 29, 2025HouseCommittee
(H) Committee Report
Mar 28, 2025HouseCommittee
(H) Committee Executive Action
Mar 21, 2025House
(H) Hearing
Feb 6, 2025House
(H) 1st Reading
Feb 6, 2025HouseCommittee
(H) Referred to Committee
Feb 5, 2025Senate
(S) Transmitted to House
Feb 5, 2025Senate
(S) 3rd Reading
Feb 5, 2025Senate
(S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
Feb 4, 2025Senate
(S) 2nd Reading
Feb 4, 2025Senate
(S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
Jan 31, 2025SenateCommittee
(S) Committee Report
Jan 30, 2025SenateCommittee
(S) Committee Executive Action
Jan 21, 2025Senate
(S) Hearing
Jan 21, 2025SenateCommittee
(S) Referred to Committee
Jan 21, 2025Senate
(S) 1st Reading
Jan 21, 2025SenateIntroduced
(S) Introduced
Jan 20, 2025House
(LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
Jan 20, 2025House
(LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
Jan 18, 2025House
(LC) Draft in Assembly
Jan 17, 2025House
(LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
Jan 17, 2025House
(LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
Jan 16, 2025House
(LC) Draft in Edit
Jan 16, 2025House
(LC) Draft in Legal Review
Nov 14, 2024House
(LC) Drafter Assigned

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Expansion of Tribal Educational Partnerships

The legislation broadens the scope of permissible educational partners beyond traditional public schools to include community choice schools, nonpublic schools, and early learning providers.

Office of Public Instruction Montana Historical Society

Connected Entities

Jonathan Windy Boy, Office of Public Instruction, Montana Historical Society

PersonJonathan Windy Boy“Democrat Senator for District 16 who introduced SB 182.”Map →

OrganizationOffice of Public Instruction“Administers the program, creates guidelines, distributes funds, and reports to t”Map →

OrganizationMontana Historical Society“Houses curriculum and materials developed by tribes from 2013 through 2021.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

bills.legmt.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance60
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy10
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz30
Current news / social attention level

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