---
type: "Bill"
title: "Provide for temporary lease of water rights"
description: "Provide for temporary lease of water rights"
jurisdiction: "us/states/mt"
legislature: "Montana Legislature"
session: "2025"
identifier: "SB 178"
citation: "Montana SB 178 (2025)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Rule Making", "Water"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Sue Vinton"]
version_count: 93
action_count: 51
vote_count: 8
first_action: "2024-10-01T18:45:02+00:00"
last_action: "2025-05-05T17:40:37+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/89bedcae-b72a-4b56-ad86-262549be65b7"
source_url: "https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0431?open_tab=sum"
source_hash: "829bea37b4f7ce3bb721c7d4e95c0e7219a7046c8022a5e0e886e3b83474c281"
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 178 (2025) — Provide for temporary lease of water rights

## Version chain

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

1. **LC0431.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=272394)
2. **SB0178.001.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-condensed(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=279070)
3. **SB0178.001.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-condensed.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=279067)
4. **SB0178.001.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-full(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=279071)
5. **SB0178.001.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=279066)
6. **SB0178.002.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305810)
7. **SB0178.002.002_Amendments-in-Context_final-condensed.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=306255)
8. **SB0178.002.002_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305893)
9. **SB0178_1(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273174)
10. **SB0178_1(10).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273408)
11. **SB0178_1(11).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273409)
12. **SB0178_1(12).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273410)
13. **SB0178_1(13).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273411)
14. **SB0178_1(14).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273412)
15. **SB0178_1(15).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273419)
16. **SB0178_1(16).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273421)
17. **SB0178_1(17).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273422)
18. **SB0178_1(18).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273423)
19. **SB0178_1(19).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273424)
20. **SB0178_1(2).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273185)
21. **SB0178_1(20).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273425)
22. **SB0178_1(21).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273426)
23. **SB0178_1(22).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273427)
24. **SB0178_1(23).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273428)
25. **SB0178_1(24).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273429)
26. **SB0178_1(25).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273448)
27. **SB0178_1(26).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273449)
28. **SB0178_1(27).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273450)
29. **SB0178_1(28).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273451)
30. **SB0178_1(29).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273452)
31. **SB0178_1(3).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273401)
32. **SB0178_1(30).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273453)
33. **SB0178_1(31).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273455)
34. **SB0178_1(32).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273458)
35. **SB0178_1(33).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273459)
36. **SB0178_1(34).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273461)
37. **SB0178_1(35).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273465)
38. **SB0178_1(36).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=274882)
39. **SB0178_1(37).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=275628)
40. **SB0178_1(38).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=276662)
41. **SB0178_1(39).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=277171)
42. **SB0178_1(4).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273402)
43. **SB0178_1(40).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=277174)
44. **SB0178_1(41).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=277175)
45. **SB0178_1(42).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=280970)
46. **SB0178_1(43).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=280971)
47. **SB0178_1(44).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=280972)
48. **SB0178_1(45).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=280973)
49. **SB0178_1(5).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273403)
50. **SB0178_1(6).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273404)
51. **SB0178_1(7).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273405)
52. **SB0178_1(8).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273406)
53. **SB0178_1(9).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=273407)
54. **SB0178_1.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=272762)
55. **SB0178_2(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=280975)
56. **SB0178_2(10).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=282665)
57. **SB0178_2(11).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305981)
58. **SB0178_2(12).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=306510)
59. **SB0178_2(13).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=306511)
60. **SB0178_2(14).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=306512)
61. **SB0178_2(15).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=306513)
62. **SB0178_2(2).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=280977)
63. **SB0178_2(3).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=280978)
64. **SB0178_2(4).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=281142)
65. **SB0178_2(5).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=281143)
66. **SB0178_2(6).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=281144)
67. **SB0178_2(7).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=281145)
68. **SB0178_2(8).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=281146)
69. **SB0178_2(9).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=281147)
70. **SB0178_2.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=280974)
71. **SB0178_3(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=306820)
72. **SB0178_3(2).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=309012)
73. **SB0178_3(3).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=313051)
74. **SB0178_3(4).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=313052)
75. **SB0178_3(5).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=313053)
76. **SB0178_3.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=306808)
77. **SB0178_X(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=313055)
78. **SB0178_X(10).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=320778)
79. **SB0178_X(11).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=321671)
80. **SB0178_X(12).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=321672)
81. **SB0178_X(13).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=321673)
82. **SB0178_X(14).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=324718)
83. **SB0178_X(15).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=325788)
84. **SB0178_X(16).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=327328)
85. **SB0178_X(2).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=313056)
86. **SB0178_X(3).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=313668)
87. **SB0178_X(4).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=313669)
88. **SB0178_X(5).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=313670)
89. **SB0178_X(6).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=313671)
90. **SB0178_X(7).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=315229)
91. **SB0178_X(8).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=315230)
92. **SB0178_X(9).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=317266)
93. **SB0178_X.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=313054)

## Votes

- Do Pass — **47–3** (pass) · upper
- Do Pass — **33–17** (pass) · upper
- be_concurred_in_as_amended — **14–0** (pass) · lower
- do_pass_as_amended — **11–0** (pass) · upper
- Do Pass — **38–12** (pass) · upper
- Do Concur — **94–6** (pass) · lower
- Do Concur — **99–0** (pass) · lower
- Do Pass — **43–7** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Sue Vinton — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2024-10-01T18:45:02+00:00** (LC) Drafter Assigned
- **2025-01-17T17:29:14+00:00** (LC) Draft in Legal Review
- **2025-01-17T17:59:07+00:00** (LC) Draft in Edit
- **2025-01-17T20:15:33+00:00** (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
- **2025-01-17T20:32:26+00:00** (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
- **2025-01-18T20:31:53+00:00** (LC) Draft in Assembly
- **2025-01-20T15:59:17+00:00** (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
- **2025-01-20T20:52:26+00:00** (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- **2025-01-21T16:34:00+00:00** (S) Introduced
- **2025-01-21T16:35:00+00:00** (S) First Reading `reading-1`
- **2025-01-21T17:36:44+00:00** (S) Referred to Committee - (S) Natural Resources `referral-committee`
- **2025-01-21T20:06:03+00:00** (S) Fiscal Note Requested
- **2025-01-23T18:57:03+00:00** (S) Hearing - (S) Natural Resources
- **2025-01-27T14:44:10+00:00** (S) Fiscal Note Received `receipt`
- **2025-01-27T19:08:51+00:00** (S) Fiscal Note Unsigned
- **2025-01-27T21:36:14+00:00** (S) Fiscal Note Printed
- **2025-02-10T22:56:31+00:00** (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed as Amended - (S) Natural Resources `committee-passage`
- **2025-02-11T20:38:00+00:00** (S) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended - (S) Natural Resources `committee-passage`
- **2025-02-13T09:49:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2025-02-13T20:57:00+00:00** (S) 2nd Reading Passed `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2025-02-14T09:50:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading `reading-3`
- **2025-02-14T21:44:00+00:00** (S) 3rd Reading Passed `passage, reading-3`
- **2025-02-14T22:11:06+00:00** (S) Transmitted to House
- **2025-02-17T18:12:02+00:00** (H) Referred to Committee - (H) Natural Resources `referral-committee`
- **2025-02-17T20:17:01+00:00** (H) First Reading `reading-1`
- **2025-03-17T17:17:16+00:00** (H) Hearing - (H) Natural Resources
- **2025-03-17T22:11:09+00:00** (H) Hearing Canceled - (H) Natural Resources
- **2025-03-31T17:44:38+00:00** (H) Hearing - (H) Natural Resources
- **2025-04-03T23:32:28+00:00** (S) Revised Fiscal Note Requested
- **2025-04-07T21:48:28+00:00** (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred as Amended - (H) Natural Resources
- **2025-04-08T20:10:00+00:00** (H) Committee Report--Bill Concurred as Amended - (H) Natural Resources
- **2025-04-09T23:32:37+00:00** (S) Revised Fiscal Note Received `receipt`
- **2025-04-10T13:31:00+00:00** (S) Fiscal Note Unsigned
- **2025-04-10T20:00:00+00:00** (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2025-04-10T21:49:08+00:00** (S) Revised Fiscal Note Printed
- **2025-04-10T23:30:00+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Concurred `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2025-04-11T21:01:00+00:00** (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading `reading-3`
- **2025-04-11T23:48:00+00:00** (H) 3rd Reading Concurred `passage, reading-3`
- **2025-04-12T01:02:19+00:00** (H) Returned to Senate with Amendments
- **2025-04-15T21:51:58+00:00** (S) 2nd Reading Pass Consideration `reading-2`
- **2025-04-16T19:00:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2025-04-16T19:44:00+00:00** (S) 2nd Reading House Amendments Concurred `amendment-amendment, amendment-passage, reading-2, reading-2`
- **2025-04-17T19:00:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading `reading-3`
- **2025-04-17T19:16:00+00:00** (S) 3rd Reading Passed as Amended by House `passage, passage, reading-3, reading-3`
- **2025-04-17T23:57:23+00:00** (S) Sent to Enrolling
- **2025-04-19T23:23:40+00:00** (S) Returned from Enrolling
- **2025-04-24T17:15:00+00:00** (S) Signed by President `passage`
- **2025-04-24T22:00:37+00:00** (H) Signed by Speaker `passage`
- **2025-04-24T22:55:00+00:00** (S) Transmitted to Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2025-05-01T18:33:04+00:00** (S) Signed by Governor `executive-signature`
- **2025-05-05T17:40:37+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/89bedcae-b72a-4b56-ad86-262549be65b7`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Montana legislature records).