---
type: "Bill"
title: "Generally revising telecommunications regulation laws"
description: "Generally revising telecommunications regulation laws"
jurisdiction: "us/states/mt"
legislature: "Montana Legislature"
session: "2025"
identifier: "HB 45"
citation: "Montana HB 45 (2025)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Utilities"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Katie Zolnikov"]
version_count: 40
action_count: 39
vote_count: 8
first_action: "2024-09-16T14:33:20+00:00"
last_action: "2025-05-13T21:35:11+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/d2a9b2e2-ec36-4e45-a937-f9cc14b9142b"
source_url: "https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0246?open_tab=sum"
source_hash: "9d372d3df6c7aa266fb7f31f16cc1fcec6ccdeb612c05107d0f60506434abdf4"
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 45 (2025) — Generally revising telecommunications regulation laws

## Version chain

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

1. **HB0045.001.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=295623)
2. **HB0045.001.002_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=297950)
3. **HB0045.001.003_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=302999)
4. **HB0045.001.003_combo_final-condensed.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=303000)
5. **HB0045_1(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=267413)
6. **HB0045_1(2).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273229)
7. **HB0045_1(3).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=275423)
8. **HB0045_1(4).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=276470)
9. **HB0045_1(5).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=302525)
10. **HB0045_1(6).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305919)
11. **HB0045_1(7).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305920)
12. **HB0045_1(8).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305921)
13. **HB0045_1(9).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305922)
14. **HB0045_1.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=267249)
15. **HB0045_2(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305924)
16. **HB0045_2(10).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=312501)
17. **HB0045_2(11).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=312503)
18. **HB0045_2(2).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305925)
19. **HB0045_2(3).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305926)
20. **HB0045_2(4).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305929)
21. **HB0045_2(5).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305930)
22. **HB0045_2(6).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305931)
23. **HB0045_2(7).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305935)
24. **HB0045_2(8).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=308173)
25. **HB0045_2(9).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=312498)
26. **HB0045_2.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305923)
27. **HB0045_X(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=312505)
28. **HB0045_X(10).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=322369)
29. **HB0045_X(11).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=324851)
30. **HB0045_X(12).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=325688)
31. **HB0045_X(2).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=313371)
32. **HB0045_X(3).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=313372)
33. **HB0045_X(4).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=313373)
34. **HB0045_X(5).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=317127)
35. **HB0045_X(6).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=319213)
36. **HB0045_X(7).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=321037)
37. **HB0045_X(8).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=322367)
38. **HB0045_X(9).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=322368)
39. **HB0045_X.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=312504)
40. **LC0246.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=266649)

## Votes

- Do Concur — **97–1** (pass) · lower
- do_pass — **13–1** (pass) · lower
- be_concurred_in_as_amended — **13–0** (pass) · upper
- Do Pass — **89–10** (pass) · lower
- Do Pass — **85–14** (pass) · lower
- Do Concur — **100–0** (pass) · lower
- Do Concur — **50–0** (pass) · upper
- Do Concur — **48–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Katie Zolnikov — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2024-09-16T14:33:20+00:00** (LC) Drafter Assigned
- **2024-12-02T17:01:12+00:00** (LC) Draft in Legal Review
- **2024-12-02T18:34:27+00:00** (LC) Draft in Edit
- **2024-12-03T21:28:35+00:00** (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
- **2024-12-04T14:19:57+00:00** (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
- **2024-12-04T18:47:40+00:00** (LC) Draft in Assembly
- **2024-12-05T17:11:57+00:00** (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
- **2024-12-09T16:17:56+00:00** (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- **2024-12-09T16:18:00+00:00** (H) Introduced
- **2024-12-20T22:11:55+00:00** (H) Referred to Committee - (H) Energy, Technology and Federal Relations `referral-committee`
- **2025-01-06T17:48:00+00:00** (H) First Reading `reading-1`
- **2025-01-07T00:39:00+00:00** (H) Hearing - (H) Energy, Technology and Federal Relations
- **2025-01-15T23:45:12+00:00** (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed - (H) Energy, Technology and Federal Relations `committee-passage`
- **2025-01-16T19:09:19+00:00** (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed - (H) Energy, Technology and Federal Relations `committee-passage`
- **2025-01-16T20:17:55+00:00** (H) Committee Report--Bill Passed - (H) Energy, Technology and Federal Relations `committee-passage`
- **2025-01-20T20:35:00+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Passed `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2025-01-21T21:23:00+00:00** (H) 3rd Reading Passed `passage, reading-3`
- **2025-01-21T21:48:52+00:00** (H) Transmitted to Senate
- **2025-01-22T20:37:23+00:00** (S) First Reading `reading-1`
- **2025-02-11T16:23:35+00:00** (S) Referred to Committee - (S) Energy, Technology & Federal Relations `referral-committee`
- **2025-02-13T20:29:15+00:00** (S) Hearing - (S) Energy, Technology & Federal Relations
- **2025-04-01T23:49:28+00:00** (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred as Amended - (S) Energy, Technology & Federal Relations
- **2025-04-07T19:13:00+00:00** (S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended - (S) Energy, Technology & Federal Relations
- **2025-04-09T19:00:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2025-04-09T19:49:00+00:00** (S) 2nd Reading Concurred `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2025-04-10T14:30:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading `reading-3`
- **2025-04-10T17:42:00+00:00** (S) 3rd Reading Concurred `passage, reading-3`
- **2025-04-10T20:22:31+00:00** (S) Returned to House with Amendments
- **2025-04-15T19:00:00+00:00** (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2025-04-15T19:54:00+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Senate Amendments Concurred `amendment-amendment, amendment-passage, reading-2, reading-2`
- **2025-04-16T19:00:00+00:00** (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading `reading-3`
- **2025-04-16T21:00:00+00:00** (H) 3rd Reading Passed as Amended by Senate `passage, passage, reading-3, reading-3`
- **2025-04-16T21:48:12+00:00** (H) Sent to Enrolling
- **2025-04-18T18:14:29+00:00** (H) Returned from Enrolling
- **2025-04-29T22:00:37+00:00** (H) Signed by Speaker `passage`
- **2025-05-02T16:30:36+00:00** (S) Signed by President `passage`
- **2025-05-02T17:24:00+00:00** (H) Transmitted to Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2025-05-08T17:11:09+00:00** (H) Signed by Governor `executive-signature`
- **2025-05-13T21:35:11+00:00** 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/d2a9b2e2-ec36-4e45-a937-f9cc14b9142b`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Montana legislature records).