---
type: "Bill"
title: "Revise laws regarding legal representation of children"
description: "Revise laws regarding legal representation of children"
jurisdiction: "us/states/mt"
legislature: "Montana Legislature"
session: "2023"
identifier: "SB 148"
citation: "Montana SB 148 (2023)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Courts (see also: Judges and Justices; Juries and Jurors)", "Minors (see also: Family Law)"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Dennis Lenz"]
version_count: 18
action_count: 74
vote_count: 16
first_action: "2022-10-27T19:47:31+00:00"
last_action: "2023-05-22T21:01:49+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/d8a7d734-ca50-4f4c-9213-ddd3424b8989"
source_url: "https://bills.legmt.gov/#/bill/20231/LC0881"
source_hash: "1285f08f0f05c62c343d68ff1589b8444a83b0a4e123768107d9b6fe73426192"
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 SB 148 (2023) — Revise laws regarding legal representation of children

## Version chain

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

1. **SB0148.001.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=4597)
2. **SB0148.001.002_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=4602)
3. **SB0148.001.003.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=12181)
4. **SB0148.001.003_Amendments-in-Context_final-condensed.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=4596)
5. **SB0148.001.003_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=4599)
6. **SB0148.002.001.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=12182)
7. **SB0148.002.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-condensed.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=4600)
8. **SB0148.002.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=4601)
9. **SB0148.002.002(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=12183)
10. **SB0148.002.002.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=4568)
11. **SB0148.002.002_Amendments-in-Context_final-condensed.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=4603)
12. **SB0148.002.002_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=4598)
13. **SB0148001SCS16494.slc.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=10826)
14. **SB0148001SCS17715.slc.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=10827)
15. **SB0148_1.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=4563)
16. **SB0148_2.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=4560)
17. **SB0148_3.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=4562)
18. **SB0148_X.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=4561)

## Votes

- (S) 2nd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted — **49–0** (pass) · upper
- (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred — **19–0** (pass) · lower
- (H) Conference Committee Report Received — **6–0** (pass) · lower
- (S) 3rd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted — **49–0** (pass) · upper
- (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed — **19–0** (pass) · upper
- (H) 2nd Reading Concurred — **99–0** (pass) · lower
- (H) 3rd Reading Concurred — **98–1** (pass) · lower
- (H) 3rd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted — **75–20** (pass) · lower
- (S) 2nd Reading Passed — **46–3** (pass) · upper
- (H) 2nd Reading Concurred — **95–5** (pass) · lower
- (S) 2nd Reading House Amendments Not Concurred — **50–0** (pass) · upper
- (S) Conference Committee Report Received — **6–0** (pass) · upper
- (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred as Amended — **19–1** (pass) · lower
- (H) 2nd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted — **67–33** (pass) · lower
- (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed — **9–2** (pass) · upper
- (S) 3rd Reading Passed — **49–1** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Dennis Lenz — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2023-05-22T21:01:49+00:00** Chapter Number Assigned `became-law`
- **2023-05-19T18:33:00+00:00** (S) Signed by Governor `executive-signature`
- **2023-05-11T22:00:00+00:00** (S) Transmitted to Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2023-05-11T21:00:00+00:00** (H) Signed by Speaker `passage`
- **2023-05-10T17:30:00+00:00** (S) Signed by President `passage`
- **2023-05-08T21:05:50+00:00** (C) Printed - Enrolled Version Available `enrolled`
- **2023-05-08T21:05:49+00:00** (S) Returned from Enrolling
- **2023-05-05T17:03:07+00:00** (C) Printed - New Version Available
- **2023-05-02T18:44:48+00:00** (S) Sent to Enrolling
- **2023-05-02T18:27:00+00:00** (H) 3rd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted `reading-3`
- **2023-05-02T14:00:00+00:00** (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading `reading-3`
- **2023-05-01T23:45:00+00:00** (S) 3rd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted `reading-3`
- **2023-05-01T23:15:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading `reading-3`
- **2023-05-01T21:19:00+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2023-05-01T20:41:00+00:00** (S) 2nd Reading Conference Committee Report Adopted `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2023-05-01T19:00:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2023-04-28T14:00:02+00:00** (H) Conference Committee Report Received `receipt`
- **2023-04-28T14:00:01+00:00** (S) Conference Committee Report Received `receipt`
- **2023-04-28T14:00:00+00:00** (S) Hearing
- **2023-04-27T18:20:00+00:00** (H) Conference Committee Appointed
- **2023-04-25T21:37:00+00:00** (S) Conference Committee Appointed
- **2023-04-21T20:27:00+00:00** (S) 2nd Reading House Amendments Not Concurred `amendment-failure, reading-2`
- **2023-04-21T19:00:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2023-04-18T22:12:35+00:00** (H) Returned to Senate with Amendments
- **2023-04-18T20:28:00+00:00** (H) 3rd Reading Concurred `passage, reading-3`
- **2023-04-17T20:07:00+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Concurred `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2023-04-14T20:51:00+00:00** (H) Committee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended
- **2023-04-14T20:35:34+00:00** (C) Printed - New Version Available
- **2023-04-14T16:05:08+00:00** (S) Revised Fiscal Note Requested
- **2023-04-13T21:30:00+00:00** (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred as Amended
- **2023-04-07T16:30:00+00:00** (H) Hearing
- **2023-04-06T21:54:00+00:00** (H) Rereferred to Committee `referral-committee, referral-committee`
- **2023-04-06T20:09:00+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Concurred `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2023-03-17T20:06:00+00:00** (H) Committee Report--Bill Concurred
- **2023-03-17T14:00:00+00:00** (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred
- **2023-03-16T20:54:54+00:00** (S) Revised Fiscal Note Printed
- **2023-03-16T18:00:28+00:00** (C) Fiscal Note Unsigned
- **2023-03-16T18:00:18+00:00** (S) Revised Fiscal Note Received `receipt`
- **2023-03-16T14:00:00+00:00** (H) Hearing
- **2023-03-10T22:24:08+00:00** (S) Revised Fiscal Note Requested
- **2023-03-10T20:19:27+00:00** (H) First Reading `reading-1`
- **2023-03-10T19:05:10+00:00** (H) Referred to Committee `referral-committee`
- **2023-02-15T21:28:37+00:00** (S) Transmitted to House
- **2023-02-14T21:05:00+00:00** (S) 3rd Reading Passed `passage, reading-3`
- **2023-02-10T20:08:00+00:00** (S) Committee Report--Bill Passed `committee-passage`
- **2023-02-09T22:00:00+00:00** (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed `committee-passage`
- **2023-02-02T22:30:01+00:00** (S) Hearing
- **2023-01-27T21:14:00+00:00** (S) Rereferred to Committee `referral-committee, referral-committee`
- **2023-01-27T20:46:00+00:00** (S) 2nd Reading Passed `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2023-01-25T20:09:00+00:00** (S) Committee Report--Bill Passed `committee-passage`
- **2023-01-24T23:30:00+00:00** (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed `committee-passage`
- **2023-01-23T16:49:10+00:00** (S) Fiscal Note Printed
- **2023-01-20T13:58:05+00:00** (C) Fiscal Note Unsigned
- **2023-01-19T20:50:37+00:00** (C) Amendments Available
- **2023-01-19T13:57:52+00:00** (S) Fiscal Note Received `receipt`
- **2023-01-13T16:00:11+00:00** (S) Hearing
- **2023-01-12T17:50:33+00:00** (C) Introduced Bill Text Available Electronically
- **2023-01-11T23:01:01+00:00** (S) First Reading `reading-1`
- **2023-01-11T20:58:44+00:00** (S) Fiscal Note Requested
- **2023-01-11T18:50:46+00:00** (S) Referred to Committee `referral-committee`
- **2023-01-11T18:49:22+00:00** (S) Introduced
- **2023-01-11T18:49:21+00:00** (C) Fiscal Note Probable
- **2023-01-09T16:01:12+00:00** (C) Draft Ready for Delivery
- **2023-01-06T17:41:53+00:00** (C) Executive Director Final Review
- **2023-01-06T17:41:45+00:00** (C) Draft Ready for Delivery
- **2023-01-06T14:10:19+00:00** (C) Draft in Assembly
- **2023-01-05T20:29:33+00:00** (C) Executive Director Review
- **2023-01-05T20:07:03+00:00** (C) Bill Draft Text Available Electronically
- **2023-01-05T20:07:02+00:00** (C) Draft in Final Drafter Review
- **2023-01-05T14:59:07+00:00** (C) Draft in Input/Proofing
- **2023-01-05T00:30:02+00:00** (C) Draft to Drafter - Edit Review
- **2023-01-04T15:05:46+00:00** (C) Draft in Edit
- **2023-01-04T14:59:31+00:00** (C) Draft in Legal Review
- **2022-10-27T19:47:31+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/d8a7d734-ca50-4f4c-9213-ddd3424b8989`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Montana legislature records).