POLISCOPE
Back to bills
Part ofState Government →

The civic record

Read. Follow. Verify.
SB 379MONTANASession 2025State Billdead
Did Not Advance

Montana requires state agencies to establish tribal consultation policies, designate liaisons, and submit annual reports

Original title: Revise laws related to state-tribal consultation

Last action · May 23, 2025: (S) Died in ProcessSponsor: Susan Webber

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

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Proposed

State agencies must develop written policies by July 1, 2026, designate a tribal liaison reporting directly to agency heads, and submit annual activity reports to the governor under Senate Bill 379.

Why it matters

State departments and federally recognized tribes must alter how they coordinate administrative rules and program implementation, creating mandatory reporting channels to the governor and interim budget committees.

Who It Would Have Affected

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

Directly affected

State agencies

State agencies must establish written consultation policies, designate a tribal liaison by July 1, 2026, conduct employee trainings, and submit annual and quarterly reports.

Directly affected

Tribal governments

Tribal governments collaborate in developing agency consultation policies, participate in annual working meetings with the governor, and receive annual overview reports.

Key Facts

  • State agencies must develop a written consultation policy in coordination with federally recognized tribes by July 1, 2026, and update it at least annually.
  • State agencies must designate an agency employee as a tribal liaison who reports directly to the agency head by July 1, 2026.
  • By August 15 of each year, each state agency must submit its consultation policy, training documentation, and an annual activity report to the governor.
  • By September 15 of each year, the governor must provide each tribal government with an overview report of all state and tribal activities for the prior fiscal year.
Show all 8 facts
  • The governor's office and a trainer selected by tribal governments must provide annual training to state agency managers and key employees regarding tribal legal status, rights, and cultural issues.
  • The governor must convene an annual working meeting in Helena with state agency representatives and tribal officials, including tribal presiding officers.
  • Agency tribal liaisons and the governor's Director of Indian Affairs must report quarterly to the appropriate interim budget committee.
  • Agencies and tribal governments may mutually agree that formal consultation is unnecessary on a specific matter, provided the agency keeps a written record.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the deadline for state agencies to create a written tribal consultation policy?
State agencies must create a written policy by July 1, 2026.
What are the responsibilities of a designated tribal liaison?
A tribal liaison assists the agency in developing and implementing policies that promote communication with s, serves as a contact person, and coordinates employee training in government-to-government relations and cultural competency.
When must state agencies submit their annual reports to the governor?
State agencies must submit their annual reports by August 15 of each year.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died on the Senate floor.

Procedural history

44 actions
  1. May 23, 2025Senate
    (S) Died in Process
  2. Apr 22, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Committee Report
  3. Apr 22, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Committee Executive Action
  4. Apr 15, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Tabled in Committee
  5. Apr 7, 2025House
    (H) Hearing
  6. Apr 7, 2025House
    (H) 1st Reading
Show 38 earlier actions
  1. Apr 7, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Referred to Committee
  2. Apr 5, 2025Senate
    (S) Transmitted to House
  3. Apr 5, 2025Senate
    (S) 3rd Reading
  4. Apr 5, 2025Senate
    (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
  5. Apr 4, 2025Senate
    (S) 2nd Reading
  6. Apr 4, 2025Senate
    (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
  7. Apr 3, 2025Senate
    (S) Reconsidered Previous Action
  8. Apr 3, 2025Senate
    (S) 2nd Reading Indefinitely Postponed
  9. Apr 3, 2025Senate
    (S) 2nd Reading
  10. Apr 3, 2025Senate
    (S) Revised Fiscal Note Printed
  11. Apr 3, 2025Senate
    (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
  12. Apr 2, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Unsigned
  13. Apr 2, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Received
  14. Apr 1, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Committee Report
  15. Apr 1, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Committee Executive Action
  16. Mar 31, 2025Senate
    (S) Revised Fiscal Note Requested
  17. Mar 14, 2025Senate
    (S) Hearing
  18. Mar 5, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Rereferred to Committee
  19. Mar 5, 2025Senate
    (S) 2nd Reading
  20. Mar 5, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Printed
  21. Mar 5, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Unsigned
  22. Mar 5, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Received
  23. Mar 5, 2025Senate
    (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
  24. Mar 5, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Committee Report
  25. Mar 4, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Committee Executive Action
  26. Feb 27, 2025Senate
    (S) Hearing
  27. Feb 20, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Requested
  28. Feb 20, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Referred to Committee
  29. Feb 20, 2025Senate
    (S) 1st Reading
  30. Feb 20, 2025SenateIntroduced
    (S) Introduced
  31. Feb 18, 2025House
    (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
  32. Feb 15, 2025House
    (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
  33. Feb 14, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Assembly
  34. Feb 14, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
  35. Feb 14, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
  36. Feb 12, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Edit
  37. Feb 12, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Legal Review
  38. Jan 21, 2025House
    (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

Susan WebberSenate · District 8DemocraticPrimary sponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

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

policy shift95% confidence

Mandatory State-Tribal Consultation Framework

The bill codifies strict deadlines (July 1, 2026) for executive branch agencies to establish formal written consultation policies and designate direct-reporting tribal liaisons.

Connected Entities

S. Fyant, T. Crowe, M. Cunningham and 24 more
PersonS. Fyant“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonT. Crowe“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonM. Cunningham“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonS. Howell“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonL. Smith“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonE. Kerr-Carpenter“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonSusan Webber“Democratic Senator for District 8”Map →
PersonD. Fern“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonS. Demarois“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonD. Hayman“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonT. Running Wolf“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonE. Stafman“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonM. Lee“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonM. Marler“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonW. Curdy“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonB. Edwards“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonB. Close“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonJ. Isaly“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonD. Hawk“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonJ. Morigeau“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonJ. Sooktis“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonJ. Windy Boy“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonJ. Weber“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonM. Fox“Legislative sponsor”Map →
PersonJ. Reavis“Legislative sponsor”Map →
locationMontana“State where the legislation was introduced”Map →
PersonB. Carter“Legislative sponsor”Map →

Sources

Open source document

bills.legmt.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
  • Controversy25
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools

Share or embed this record

POLISCOPE publisher tools

Share or embed this record