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Read. Follow. Verify.Montana bill bans local governments from prohibiting working animals in commerce and service
Last action · June 9, 2025: (H) Died in CommitteeSponsor: John Fuller
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What This Bill Would Do
Senate Bill 96 prohibits local governments from enacting ordinances or resolutions that ban, effectively ban, or create undue hardships regarding the use of working animals or s in commerce, service, legal hunting, agriculture, and other sectors. The measure guarantees the right to use working animals and adds this restriction to the list of powers denied to local government units with .
Local governments across Montana would lose the authority to restrict or prohibit working animals like service dogs, police K9s, and livestock working animals, overriding any local rules that conflict with state protections.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Local governments
Local government units are prohibited from enacting ordinances or resolutions that ban or create undue hardship regarding working animals and their use in commerce or service.
Working animal owners and handlers
Owners and individuals served by working animals gain a state-guaranteed right to utilize working animals without local bans or undue restrictions.
Key Facts
- Local governments are prohibited from enacting ordinances or resolutions that terminate, ban, effectively ban, or create undue hardship relating to the job or use of a working animal or animal enterprise.
- A working animal is defined as a nonhuman animal used to perform a specific duty or function in commerce or animal enterprise, such as human service, transportation, law enforcement, education, competition, or exhibition.
- Production livestock such as poultry, swine, dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep, and goats are explicitly excluded from the definition of working animals.
- The right to utilize a working animal for the benefit and welfare of the animal or the individual it serves is guaranteed by the state.
Show all 7 facts
- The legislation does not alter existing state laws regulating animal care, public health, or public safety, nor does it prevent local governments from establishing animal care or safety ordinances.
- Section 7-1-111, MCA, is amended to add the prohibition on local working animal bans to the statutory list of powers denied to local government units with self-government powers.
- The new protections do not supersede local government zoning ordinances under Title 7, chapter 1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can local governments still regulate public health and safety regarding animals under this bill?
Are farm animals like cows and pigs considered working animals under this bill?
Does this bill affect local zoning laws?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
24 actions- Jun 9, 2025HouseCommittee(H) Died in Committee
- Mar 20, 2025HouseCommittee(H) Tabled in Committee
- Mar 20, 2025HouseCommittee(H) Tabled in Committee
- Mar 7, 2025House(H) Hearing
- Feb 3, 2025House(H) 1st Reading
- Feb 3, 2025HouseCommittee(H) Referred to Committee
Show 18 earlier actions
- Jan 31, 2025Senate(S) Transmitted to House
- Jan 31, 2025Senate(S) 3rd Reading
- Jan 31, 2025Senate(S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
- Jan 30, 2025Senate(S) 2nd Reading
- Jan 30, 2025Senate(S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
- Jan 28, 2025SenateCommittee(S) Committee Report
- Jan 27, 2025SenateCommittee(S) Committee Executive Action
- Jan 13, 2025SenateCommittee(S) Referred to Committee
- Jan 7, 2025Senate(S) 1st Reading
- Jan 6, 2025SenateIntroduced(S) Introduced
- Jan 6, 2025House(LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- Dec 18, 2024House(LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
- Dec 18, 2024House(LC) Draft in Assembly
- Dec 17, 2024House(LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
- Dec 17, 2024House(LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
- Dec 10, 2024House(LC) Draft in Edit
- Dec 3, 2024House(LC) Draft in Legal Review
- Oct 21, 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.
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Sources
bills.legmt.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance45How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy30Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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