---
type: "Bill"
title: "Revise laws relating to child abuse and neglect proceedings"
description: "Revise laws relating to child abuse and neglect proceedings"
jurisdiction: "us/states/mt"
legislature: "Montana Legislature"
session: "2023"
identifier: "HB 16"
citation: "Montana HB 16 (2023)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Appropriations (see also: State Finance)", "Courts (see also: Judges and Justices; Juries and Jurors)", "Minors (see also: Family Law)", "Social Services"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Jennifer Carlson"]
version_count: 22
action_count: 75
vote_count: 16
first_action: "2022-07-26T20:01:15+00:00"
last_action: "2023-05-22T22:55:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/35dcb42b-1057-498d-a1a0-00f02d146b63"
source_url: "https://bills.legmt.gov/#/bill/20231/LC0161"
source_hash: "6dd4db6030e2368544fea8cb23ae3970f37d302c92725ab5925d0d9d8652933f"
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 16 (2023) — Revise laws relating to child abuse and neglect proceedings

## Version chain

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

1. **HB0016.001.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-condensed (1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2611)
2. **HB0016.001.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-condensed.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2612)
3. **HB0016.001.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-full (1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2613)
4. **HB0016.001.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2614)
5. **HB0016.001.002_Amendments-in-Context_final-condensed.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2615)
6. **HB0016.001.002_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2616)
7. **HB0016.001.003_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2617)
8. **HB0016.002.001.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2618)
9. **HB0016.002.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-condensed.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=50520)
10. **HB0016.002.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=50519)
11. **HB0016.003.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-condensed.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2619)
12. **HB0016.003.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2620)
13. **HB0016.004.001(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2621)
14. **HB0016.004.001.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2622)
15. **HB0016.004.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-condensed.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2623)
16. **HB0016.004.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2624)
17. **HB0016_1.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2627)
18. **HB0016_2.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2628)
19. **HB0016_3.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2629)
20. **HB0016_4.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2630)
21. **HB0016_5.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2631)
22. **HB0016_X.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=2632)

## Votes

- (H) 3rd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted — **92–4** (pass) · lower
- (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed as Amended — **19–0** (pass) · lower
- (H) 3rd Reading Passed — **98–0** (pass) · lower
- (H) Conference Committee Report Received — **4–2** (pass) · lower
- (S) 3rd Reading Concurred — **50–0** (pass) · upper
- (H) 2nd Reading Passed as Amended — **95–4** (pass) · lower
- (S) 3rd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted — **45–5** (pass) · upper
- (H) 2nd Reading Motion to Amend Carried — **99–0** (pass) · lower
- (H) 2nd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted — **70–29** (pass) · lower
- (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed — **22–1** (pass) · lower
- (H) 2nd Reading Senate Amendments Not Concurred — **100–0** (pass) · lower
- (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred as Amended — **11–0** (pass) · upper
- (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred — **19–0** (pass) · upper
- (S) 2nd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted — **35–15** (pass) · upper
- (S) Conference Committee Report Received — **4–2** (pass) · upper
- (S) 2nd Reading Concurred — **50–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Jennifer Carlson — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2023-05-22T22:55:00+00:00** Chapter Number Assigned `became-law`
- **2023-05-22T18:34:00+00:00** (H) Signed by Governor `executive-signature`
- **2023-05-12T17:30:00+00:00** (H) Transmitted to Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2023-05-11T23:00:00+00:00** (S) Signed by President `passage`
- **2023-05-11T18:00:00+00:00** (H) Signed by Speaker `passage`
- **2023-05-09T14:39:13+00:00** (H) Returned from Enrolling
- **2023-05-05T20:02:00+00:00** (C) Printed - Enrolled Version Available `enrolled`
- **2023-05-03T20:55:53+00:00** (H) Sent to Enrolling
- **2023-05-03T02:24:00+00:00** (H) 3rd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted `reading-3`
- **2023-05-03T00:00:00+00:00** (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading `reading-3`
- **2023-05-02T21:29:00+00:00** (S) 3rd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted `reading-3`
- **2023-05-02T18:04:00+00:00** (S) 2nd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2023-05-02T17:00:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2023-05-02T14:22:00+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2023-05-02T14:00:00+00:00** (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2023-04-27T22:00:02+00:00** (H) Conference Committee Report Received `receipt`
- **2023-04-27T22:00:01+00:00** (S) Conference Committee Report Received `receipt`
- **2023-04-27T22:00:00+00:00** (S) Hearing
- **2023-04-25T21:16:00+00:00** (S) Conference Committee Appointed
- **2023-04-24T23:18:00+00:00** (H) Conference Committee Appointed
- **2023-04-24T19:30:00+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Senate Amendments Not Concurred `reading-2`
- **2023-04-19T02:00:00+00:00** (S) Returned to House with Amendments
- **2023-04-18T21:39:00+00:00** (S) 3rd Reading Concurred `passage, reading-3`
- **2023-04-18T19:00:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading `reading-3`
- **2023-04-15T03:05:00+00:00** (S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred
- **2023-04-14T21:30:01+00:00** (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred
- **2023-04-14T21:30:00+00:00** (S) Hearing
- **2023-04-11T23:47:00+00:00** (S) Rereferred to Committee `referral-committee, referral-committee`
- **2023-04-11T20:27:00+00:00** (S) 2nd Reading Concurred `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2023-04-06T19:18:00+00:00** (S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended
- **2023-04-06T19:12:55+00:00** (C) Printed - New Version Available
- **2023-04-05T14:00:00+00:00** (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred as Amended
- **2023-03-29T14:00:00+00:00** (S) Hearing
- **2023-03-15T17:17:45+00:00** (S) Referred to Committee `referral-committee`
- **2023-02-15T20:20:00+00:00** (S) First Reading `reading-1`
- **2023-02-14T23:28:00+00:00** (H) Transmitted to Senate
- **2023-02-14T21:04:00+00:00** (H) 3rd Reading Passed `passage, reading-3`
- **2023-02-13T20:14:00+00:00** (H) Committee Report--Bill Passed `committee-passage`
- **2023-02-09T22:00:00+00:00** (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed `committee-passage`
- **2023-01-30T22:00:58+00:00** (H) Hearing
- **2023-01-28T00:42:46+00:00** (H) Revised Fiscal Note Printed
- **2023-01-27T17:39:08+00:00** (H) Hearing Canceled
- **2023-01-26T19:11:38+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Unsigned
- **2023-01-25T19:10:13+00:00** (H) Revised Fiscal Note Received `receipt`
- **2023-01-25T14:23:05+00:00** (C) Printed - New Version Available
- **2023-01-24T22:11:00+00:00** (H) Rereferred to Committee `referral-committee, referral-committee`
- **2023-01-24T20:23:00+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Passed as Amended `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2023-01-24T20:22:49+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Motion to Amend Carried `reading-2`
- **2023-01-23T20:25:45+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Pass Consideration `reading-2`
- **2023-01-21T01:16:26+00:00** (H) Revised Fiscal Note Requested
- **2023-01-18T21:29:10+00:00** (C) Printed - New Version Available
- **2023-01-18T20:16:00+00:00** (H) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended `committee-passage`
- **2023-01-17T17:00:00+00:00** (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed as Amended `committee-passage`
- **2023-01-12T19:47:32+00:00** (H) Sponsor Rebuttal to Fiscal Note Requested
- **2023-01-05T15:00:00+00:00** (H) Hearing
- **2023-01-04T15:19:43+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Printed
- **2023-01-04T00:05:39+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Signed
- **2023-01-03T15:46:27+00:00** (C) Amendments Available
- **2023-01-02T20:20:59+00:00** (H) First Reading `reading-1`
- **2023-01-02T18:29:04+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Received `receipt`
- **2022-12-19T23:25:29+00:00** (H) Referred to Committee `referral-committee`
- **2022-11-30T20:20:00+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Requested
- **2022-11-30T17:47:44+00:00** (C) Introduced Bill Text Available Electronically
- **2022-11-28T21:57:20+00:00** (H) Introduced
- **2022-11-28T21:57:19+00:00** (C) Fiscal Note Probable
- **2022-11-14T22:45:33+00:00** (C) Draft in Assembly
- **2022-11-14T16:54:52+00:00** (C) Executive Director Review
- **2022-11-11T22:45:09+00:00** (C) Bill Draft Text Available Electronically
- **2022-11-11T22:45:08+00:00** (C) Draft in Final Drafter Review
- **2022-09-16T22:07:58+00:00** (C) Draft in Input/Proofing
- **2022-09-16T17:45:29+00:00** (C) Draft to Drafter - Edit Review
- **2022-09-14T16:10:26+00:00** (C) Draft in Edit
- **2022-09-07T12:31:00+00:00** (C) Draft in Legal Review
- **2022-09-06T23:05:25+00:00** (C) Draft to Requester for Review
- **2022-07-26T20:01:15+00:00** (C) Draft Request Received `receipt`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/35dcb42b-1057-498d-a1a0-00f02d146b63`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Montana legislature records).