---
type: "Bill"
title: "Revise laws regarding interactions between DPHHS and child and family ombudsman"
description: "Revise laws regarding interactions between DPHHS and child and family ombudsman"
jurisdiction: "us/states/mt"
legislature: "Montana Legislature"
session: "2021"
identifier: "HB 426"
citation: "Montana HB 426 (2021)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Minors (see also: Family Law)", "State Government"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Dennis R Lenz"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 53
vote_count: 8
first_action: "2020-10-01"
last_action: "2021-05-07"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/3d0cc79f-17d7-40d1-9b0a-71390b8a05af"
source_url: "http://laws.leg.mt.gov/legprd/LAW0210W$BSIV.ActionQuery?P_BILL_NO1=426&P_BLTP_BILL_TYP_CD=HB&Z_ACTION=Find&P_SESS=20211"
source_hash: "7d399343db39ef737308dbe99a54447cb9ca40c3f09a14f48f52cc0c70aca6ca"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-mt"]
---

# Montana HB 426 (2021) — Revise laws regarding interactions between DPHHS and child and family ombudsman

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **HB0426_1.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/HB0499//HB0426_1.pdf)
2. **HB0426_2.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/HB0499//HB0426_2.pdf)
3. **HB0426_X.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/HB0499//HB0426_X.pdf)
4. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billpdf/HB0426.pdf)

## Votes

- BE CONCURRED IN AS AMENDED — **9–0** (pass) · upper
- Do Concur — **71–28** (pass) · lower
- Do Pass — **76–22** (pass) · lower
- Do Concur — **49–1** (pass) · upper
- Do Concur — **67–31** (pass) · lower
- DO PASS — **16–3** (pass) · lower
- Do Pass — **48–0** (pass) · upper
- Do Pass — **76–24** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Dennis R Lenz — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2020-10-01** Draft Request Received
- **2021-01-27** Draft to Requester for Review
- **2021-01-29** Draft to Requester for Review
- **2021-02-03** Draft in Legal Review
- **2021-02-03** Draft in Edit
- **2021-02-05** Draft to Drafter - Edit Review
- **2021-02-05** Draft in Input/Proofing
- **2021-02-08** Draft in Final Drafter Review
- **2021-02-08** Bill Draft Text Available Electronically
- **2021-02-08** Executive Director Review
- **2021-02-08** Draft in Assembly
- **2021-02-08** Draft Ready for Delivery
- **2021-02-08** Executive Director Final Review
- **2021-02-08** Draft Ready for Delivery
- **2021-02-11** Draft Delivered to Requester
- **2021-02-15** Introduced `introduction`
- **2021-02-16** Introduced Bill Text Available Electronically
- **2021-02-16** Referred to Committee - (H) Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2021-02-16** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2021-02-19** Hearing - (H) Judiciary
- **2021-02-19** Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed - (H) Judiciary `committee-passage`
- **2021-02-19** Committee Report--Bill Passed - (H) Judiciary `committee-passage`
- **2021-02-23** Scheduled for 2nd Reading
- **2021-02-23** 2nd Reading Passed `reading-2`
- **2021-02-24** Scheduled for 3rd Reading
- **2021-02-24** 3rd Reading Passed `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-02-24** Transmitted to Senate
- **2021-02-25** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2021-02-25** Referred to Committee - (S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety `referral-committee`
- **2021-03-23** Amendments Available
- **2021-03-24** Hearing - (S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety
- **2021-03-26** Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred as Amended - (S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety
- **2021-03-29** Committee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended - (S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety
- **2021-03-29** Printed - New Version Available
- **2021-03-31** Scheduled for 2nd Reading
- **2021-03-31** 2nd Reading Pass Consideration
- **2021-04-07** Scheduled for 2nd Reading
- **2021-04-07** 2nd Reading Concurred `reading-2`
- **2021-04-08** Scheduled for 3rd Reading
- **2021-04-08** 3rd Reading Concurred `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-04-08** Returned to House with Amendments
- **2021-04-21** Scheduled for 2nd Reading
- **2021-04-21** 2nd Reading Senate Amendments Concurred `amendment-amendment, amendment-passage, reading-2`
- **2021-04-22** Scheduled for 3rd Reading
- **2021-04-22** 3rd Reading Passed as Amended by Senate `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-04-22** Sent to Enrolling
- **2021-04-27** Returned from Enrolling
- **2021-04-27** Printed - Enrolled Version Available
- **2021-04-30** Signed by Speaker
- **2021-04-30** Signed by President
- **2021-04-30** Transmitted to Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2021-05-07** Signed by Governor `executive-signature`
- **2021-05-07** Chapter Number Assigned `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/3d0cc79f-17d7-40d1-9b0a-71390b8a05af`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Montana legislature records).