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SB 132MONTANASession 2025State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Montana creates separate minor-in-possession offenses and penalties for alcohol, marijuana, and other intoxicating substances under SB 132

Original title: Generally revise minor in possession laws

Last action · April 17, 2025: Chapter Number AssignedSponsor: Tom McGillvray

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

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What This Bill Does

Montana establishes separate crimes and graduated penalties for minors possessing or attempting to purchase alcohol, marijuana, or other intoxicating substances. Under the new law, individuals under 21 face fines, community service, substance abuse education courses, and potential driver's license confiscation or suspension for violations.

Why it matters

Underage individuals caught possessing or trying to buy alcohol, marijuana, or other intoxicants face escalating fines from $100 to $900, mandatory community service ranging from 20 to 60 hours, required completion of substance abuse courses at personal expense, and license restrictions lasting up to a year.

Background
  • State legislatures frequently revise minor-in-possession statutes to clarify enforcement procedures, establish graduated penalties, and provide medical amnesty exceptions for youths seeking emergency assistance. 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

Minors

Minors under 21 face newly codified criminal offenses, graduated fine structures, mandatory community service, substance abuse education courses, and potential driver's license suspensions or confiscations for alcohol and drug possession.

Directly affected

Parents or Guardians

Parents or guardians of convicted minors under 18 are ordered to complete and pay all costs of participation in community-based substance abuse information courses alongside the minor.

Directly affected

Licensed Retailers

Licensed alcohol retailers face immediate license revocation or alternative department sanctions if convicted of code offenses.

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 happens if a minor gets caught with alcohol or marijuana for the first time?
A first-time offender under 18 faces a fine between $100 and $300, 20 hours of community service, mandatory participation in a paid substance abuse information course with their parents or guardian, and 30-day driver's license confiscation.
Can a minor be prosecuted for possession if they seek medical help for alcohol or drug overdose?
No. Minors cannot be charged or prosecuted under these possession provisions if they seek medical treatment at a health care facility, contact law enforcement or emergency medical services for themselves or an accompanying person, or require medical treatment where evidence is found during care.
What are the penalties for a third or subsequent possession offense for adults aged 18 to 20?
Adults aged 18 to 20 face a fine between $300 and $900, 60 hours of community service, mandatory completion and payment for an alcohol or drug information course at a treatment program, and at the court's discretion, up to 6 months in the county jail.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

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

Tom McGillvraySenate · District 26RepublicanPrimary sponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

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

policy shift95% confidence

Codification of Separate Intoxicant Offenses

SB 132 systematically separates possession and attempt-to-purchase crimes across alcohol, marijuana, and other intoxicating substances into distinct statutory sections.

Legislature of the State of Montana

Connected Entities

U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department of Public Health and Human Services, Tom McGillvray and 2 more
OrganizationU.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services“Approves accrediting entities for licensed hospitals providing chemical dependen”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Public Health and Human Services“Adopts patient placement rules and approves community-based substance abuse info”Map →
PersonTom McGillvray“Republican Senator for District 26 who introduced SB 132”Map →
OrganizationYouth Court“Handles dispositions and transfers for defendants under 18 years of age”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Corrections“May provide or contract substance abuse information courses”Map →

Sources

Open source document

bills.legmt.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy35
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz25
    Current news / social attention level

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