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SB 206MONTANASession 2025State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Montana establishes child protection investigators and child reunification specialists with certification rules

Original title: Generally revise laws related to child abuse and neglect proceedings and investigations

Last action · April 17, 2025: Chapter Number AssignedSponsor: Dennis Lenz

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Does

Senate Bill 206 establishes two distinct official department roles— and —and sets certification, training, and operational requirements for state child welfare personnel, effective July 1, 2025.

Why it matters

The law redefines how state caseworkers operate by formally splitting investigation duties from post-removal family reunification services, imposing specific training mandates, and altering legal notification procedures for families.

Background
  • Senate Bill 206 was introduced by Senator Dennis Lenz during the 2025 legislative session of the Montana 69th Legislature. context
  • The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services operates state-level child welfare, protective services, and public assistance programs. 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

Department of Public Health and Human Services child-facing employees

Employees must complete mandatory certification courses, pass competency examinations, and adhere to separated job roles.

Directly affected

Parents and guardians in child abuse and neglect proceedings

Parents interact with distinctly designated investigators and reunification specialists throughout the life of a case.

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

What is the difference between a child protection investigator and a child reunification specialist?
A serves as the primary representative of the department in investigations and proceedings prior to the removal of a child, whereas a coordinates reunification services and represents the department in proceedings after a child has been removed.
Can the same caseworker perform both investigation and reunification duties for a family?
Generally no, the roles cannot be performed by the same person in a single matter involving the same child, except when a local office lacks sufficient employees.

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

50 actions
  1. Apr 17, 2025Senate
    Chapter Number Assigned
  2. Apr 16, 2025SenateEnrolled
    (S) Signed by Governor
  3. Apr 8, 2025Senate
    (S) Transmitted to Governor
  4. Apr 7, 2025House
    (H) Signed by Speaker
  5. Mar 31, 2025Senate
    (S) Signed by President
  6. Mar 27, 2025Senate
    (S) Returned from Enrolling
Show 44 earlier actions
  1. Mar 25, 2025Senate
    (S) Sent to Enrolling
  2. Mar 25, 2025House
    (H) 3rd Reading
  3. Mar 25, 2025House
    (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
  4. Mar 24, 2025House
    (H) 2nd Reading
  5. Mar 24, 2025House
    (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
  6. Mar 19, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Committee Report
  7. Mar 18, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Committee Executive Action
  8. Mar 5, 2025House
    (H) Hearing
  9. Feb 22, 2025House
    (H) 1st Reading
  10. Feb 22, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Referred to Committee
  11. Feb 21, 2025Senate
    (S) Transmitted to House
  12. Feb 21, 2025Senate
    (S) 3rd Reading
  13. Feb 21, 2025Senate
    (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
  14. Feb 20, 2025Senate
    (S) 2nd Reading
  15. Feb 20, 2025Senate
    (S) Revised Fiscal Note Printed
  16. Feb 20, 2025Senate
    (S) Revised Fiscal Note Signed
  17. Feb 20, 2025Senate
    (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
  18. Feb 20, 2025Senate
    (S) Revised Fiscal Note Signed
  19. Feb 19, 2025Senate
    (S) Revised Fiscal Note Received
  20. Feb 19, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Printed
  21. Feb 18, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Committee Report
  22. Feb 18, 2025Senate
    (S) Revised Fiscal Note Requested
  23. Feb 17, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Committee Executive Action
  24. Feb 17, 2025Senate
    (S) Revised Fiscal Note Received
  25. Feb 17, 2025Senate
    (S) Revised Fiscal Note Requested
  26. Feb 5, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Tabled in Committee
  27. Feb 4, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Unsigned
  28. Feb 4, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Received
  29. Jan 30, 2025Senate
    (S) Hearing
  30. Jan 28, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Requested
  31. Jan 24, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Referred to Committee
  32. Jan 24, 2025Senate
    (S) 1st Reading
  33. Jan 23, 2025SenateIntroduced
    (S) Introduced
  34. Jan 23, 2025House
    (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
  35. Jan 21, 2025House
    (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
  36. Jan 21, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Assembly
  37. Jan 20, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
  38. Jan 20, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
  39. Jan 19, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Edit
  40. Jan 17, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Legal Review
  41. Dec 30, 2024House
    (LC) Draft Taken Off Hold
  42. Oct 22, 2024House
    (LC) Draft On Hold
  43. Oct 9, 2024House
    (LC) Draft On Hold
  44. Oct 4, 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.

Sponsors

Dennis LenzSenate · District 25RepublicanPrimary sponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

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

policy shift95% confidence

Structural Separation of Child Welfare Roles

The state has formally codified a functional split between pre-removal investigation and post-removal reunification handling by creating two distinct certified job classifications.

Department of Public Health and Human Services

Connected Entities

Department of Public Health and Human Services, Dennis Lenz
OrganizationDepartment of Public Health and Human Services“State department responsible for administering child welfare and protective serv”Map →
PersonDennis Lenz“Republican Senator for District 25 who introduced SB 206”Map →

Sources

Open source document

bills.legmt.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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