New Montana laws taking effect January 1, 2026

23 laws take effect January 1, 2026.

Of the 778 bills enacted since 2025, 774 have an effective date and 4 don't yet (listed below). A law here takes effect that day by its main provisions; parts of a staggered act may take effect on other dates.

Updated Oct 31, 2026 at 11:39 a.m. EDT.

Healthcare (7)

  • HB 398 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Generally revise insurance laws related to prior authorization of chronic conditions

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

  • HB 438 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Establishing a board of physical, rehabilitative, and developmental healthcare professionals

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

  • HB 502 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Establish board of facility health care professionals

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

  • HB 544 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Generally revise health insurance laws relating to health utilization review

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

  • HB 620 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Revise laws prohibiting contracts that restrict practice to include physicians of all specialties

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

  • SB 319 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Generally revise health care laws related to doulas

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    Parts of this act take effect on other dates.

    How effective dates are worked out

  • SB 518 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Transfer licensing of emergency medical providers to the department of labor and industry

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    Parts of this act take effect on other dates.

    How effective dates are worked out

Housing (3)

  • HB 225 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Revising laws related to home inspections

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    Parts of this act take effect on other dates.

    How effective dates are worked out

  • HB 681 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Revise subdivision regulation laws involving determination of water availability

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

  • HB 742 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Revise nuisance compliance laws

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

Taxes (3)

  • HB 129 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Provide income tax benefit to support emergency response volunteers

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

  • HB 337 · 2025 Regular SessionStated

    Revise income tax laws to lower income taxes

    How we got this date

    The date of the act's main provisions (Sections 1 and 3).

    Sections 1 and 3: [Sections 1 and 3] are effective January 1, 2026.

    Parts of this act take effect on other dates.

    How effective dates are worked out

  • SB 93 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Revise income taxes related to retired military members

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

Climate (2)

Government (2)

Traffic (2)

  • HB 672 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Generally revise Montana department of transportation’s utility relocation process

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

  • HB 849 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Provide for special motorcycle plates promoting motorcycle safety

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

Civil Rights (1)

  • HB 513 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Revise laws related to use of name, voice, and likeness of individuals and penalties for unauthorized use

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

Crime (1)

  • HB 157 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Revise alcohol laws related to responsible server and sales training

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

Education (1)

  • SB 166 · 2025 Regular SessionPublished

    Revising certified public accountant education requirements

    How we got this date

    Published by the legislature: All Sections: 2026-01-01.

    How effective dates are worked out

Finance (1)

Enacted, but not yet dated (4)

These laws' texts tie their dates to something outside the legislative record (Contingent), or not enough is recorded yet to give one (Unresolved). They may take effect January 1, 2026 too; the record doesn't say.

Show all 4
  • HB 447ContingentEnact the Respiratory Care Interstate CompactEffective on the date the compact is legislatively enacted into law by the seventh member state
  • HB 56ContingentEstablish ambulance provider assessment fee programApproval by the United States department of health and human services of all waivers and approvals necessary to implement the assessment fee and supplemental payments
  • SB 233ContingentAdopting the interstate massage compactCompact legislatively enacted into law by the seventh member state
  • SB 279ContingentAdopt the dietitian licensure compactThe compact has been legislatively enacted into law by the seventh member state.