---
type: "Bill"
title: "Provide state funding for preschool children with disabilities"
description: "Provide state funding for preschool children with disabilities"
jurisdiction: "us/states/mt"
legislature: "Montana Legislature"
session: "2025"
identifier: "HB 168"
citation: "Montana HB 168 (2025)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Appropriations", "Developmental Disabilities", "Education - K-12", "Education - School Finance"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Jonathan Karlen"]
version_count: 41
action_count: 54
vote_count: 10
first_action: "2024-11-21T23:21:54+00:00"
last_action: "2025-05-19T21:33:08+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/84caa542-a7b8-4fe0-b197-86bd45230d52"
source_url: "https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1786?open_tab=sum"
source_hash: "6ed39c8585395755606a0f22488cb6dce9510565c2c1f26ecd959446e1187c54"
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 168 (2025) — Provide state funding for preschool children with disabilities

## Version chain

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

1. **HB0168.001.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-full.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=279510)
2. **HB0168.001.001_Amendments-in-Context_final-not condensed.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=279512)
3. **HB0168_1(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=270629)
4. **HB0168_1(10).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=301641)
5. **HB0168_1(11).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=301642)
6. **HB0168_1(12).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=301643)
7. **HB0168_1(13).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=301644)
8. **HB0168_1(2).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=270694)
9. **HB0168_1(3).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=270695)
10. **HB0168_1(4).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=270696)
11. **HB0168_1(5).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=270697)
12. **HB0168_1(6).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=270701)
13. **HB0168_1(7).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=275179)
14. **HB0168_1(8).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=276246)
15. **HB0168_1(9).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=293738)
16. **HB0168_1.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=270561)
17. **HB0168_2(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=301647)
18. **HB0168_2(10).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=315008)
19. **HB0168_2(11).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=315012)
20. **HB0168_2(2).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=301649)
21. **HB0168_2(3).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=301650)
22. **HB0168_2(4).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=301723)
23. **HB0168_2(5).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=301738)
24. **HB0168_2(6).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=301739)
25. **HB0168_2(7).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=301740)
26. **HB0168_2(8).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=301758)
27. **HB0168_2(9).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=305330)
28. **HB0168_2.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=301645)
29. **HB0168_X(1).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=315015)
30. **HB0168_X(10).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=325058)
31. **HB0168_X(11).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=326318)
32. **HB0168_X(2).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=317224)
33. **HB0168_X(3).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=317927)
34. **HB0168_X(4).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=317928)
35. **HB0168_X(5).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=317929)
36. **HB0168_X(6).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=320901)
37. **HB0168_X(7).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=323240)
38. **HB0168_X(8).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=323241)
39. **HB0168_X(9).pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=323242)
40. **HB0168_X.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=315013)
41. **LC1786.pdf** (committee substitute) — [source](https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=269349)

## Votes

- do_pass — **15–0** (pass) · lower
- Take HB 168 from Comm-Novak — **27–23** (pass) · upper
- to_table — **14–0** (pass) · upper
- Do Pass — **64–34** (pass) · lower
- do_pass_as_amended — **14–9** (pass) · lower
- Do Concur — **27–23** (pass) · upper
- Do Pass — **63–37** (pass) · lower
- Do Pass — **67–32** (pass) · lower
- Take HB 168 from Comm-Novak — **24–26** (fail) · upper
- Do Concur — **29–21** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Jonathan Karlen — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2024-11-21T23:21:54+00:00** (LC) Drafter Assigned
- **2024-12-16T19:02:31+00:00** (LC) Draft in Legal Review
- **2024-12-16T20:17:44+00:00** (LC) Draft in Edit
- **2024-12-19T23:58:56+00:00** (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
- **2024-12-21T00:46:45+00:00** (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
- **2024-12-23T16:28:35+00:00** (LC) Draft in Assembly
- **2024-12-24T15:54:03+00:00** (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
- **2025-01-08T15:55:12+00:00** (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- **2025-01-10T14:44:42+00:00** (H) Introduced
- **2025-01-10T15:38:27+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Requested
- **2025-01-10T19:06:40+00:00** (H) Referred to Committee - (H) Education `referral-committee`
- **2025-01-10T20:47:42+00:00** (H) First Reading `reading-1`
- **2025-01-15T00:22:24+00:00** (H) Hearing - (H) Education
- **2025-01-20T20:22:00+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Received `receipt`
- **2025-01-21T20:22:00+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Signed
- **2025-01-22T15:41:58+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Printed
- **2025-01-27T23:37:37+00:00** (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed - (H) Education `committee-passage`
- **2025-01-28T00:10:47+00:00** (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed - (H) Education `committee-passage`
- **2025-01-28T20:21:00+00:00** (H) Committee Report--Bill Passed - (H) Education `committee-passage`
- **2025-01-30T20:00:00+00:00** (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2025-01-30T20:38:00+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Passed `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2025-01-30T21:36:00+00:00** (H) Rereferred to Committee - (H) Appropriations `referral-committee, referral-committee`
- **2025-01-31T21:42:25+00:00** (H) Hearing - (H) Appropriations
- **2025-03-31T16:37:49+00:00** (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed as Amended - (H) Appropriations `committee-passage`
- **2025-03-31T19:30:00+00:00** (H) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended - (H) Appropriations `committee-passage`
- **2025-04-01T01:29:46+00:00** (H) Revised Fiscal Note Requested
- **2025-04-04T00:03:43+00:00** (H) Fiscal Note Unsigned
- **2025-04-04T00:06:01+00:00** (H) Sponsor Rebuttal to Fiscal Note Requested
- **2025-04-04T00:06:09+00:00** (H) Sponsor Rebuttal to Fiscal Note Received `receipt`
- **2025-04-04T00:06:14+00:00** (H) Sponsor Rebuttal to Fiscal Note Signed
- **2025-04-04T00:09:00+00:00** (H) Revised Fiscal Note Signed
- **2025-04-04T14:00:00+00:00** (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2025-04-04T15:56:00+00:00** (H) 2nd Reading Passed `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2025-04-04T22:40:47+00:00** (H) Revised Fiscal Note Printed
- **2025-04-05T14:00:00+00:00** (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading `reading-3`
- **2025-04-05T14:56:00+00:00** (H) 3rd Reading Passed `passage, reading-3`
- **2025-04-05T15:46:14+00:00** (H) Transmitted to Senate
- **2025-04-07T19:13:37+00:00** (S) First Reading `reading-1`
- **2025-04-07T19:21:00+00:00** (S) Referred to Committee - (S) Education and Cultural Resources `referral-committee`
- **2025-04-14T19:53:36+00:00** (S) Hearing - (S) Education and Cultural Resources
- **2025-04-16T01:47:30+00:00** (S) Tabled in Committee - (S) Education and Cultural Resources `amendment-deferral`
- **2025-04-16T20:52:00+00:00** (S) Motion Failed `failure`
- **2025-04-17T19:30:00+00:00** (S) Taken from Committee; Placed on 2nd Reading - (S) Education and Cultural Resources `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2025-04-18T15:00:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading `reading-2`
- **2025-04-18T21:01:00+00:00** (S) 2nd Reading Concurred `reading-2, reading-2`
- **2025-04-22T18:30:00+00:00** (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading `reading-3`
- **2025-04-22T21:10:00+00:00** (S) 3rd Reading Concurred `passage, reading-3`
- **2025-04-22T21:10:22+00:00** (H) Sent to Enrolling
- **2025-04-25T19:50:18+00:00** (H) Returned from Enrolling
- **2025-05-06T19:25:34+00:00** (H) Signed by Speaker `passage`
- **2025-05-07T18:00:11+00:00** (S) Signed by President `passage`
- **2025-05-07T19:57:30+00:00** (H) Transmitted to Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2025-05-13T18:32:00+00:00** (H) Signed by Governor `executive-signature`
- **2025-05-19T21:33:08+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/84caa542-a7b8-4fe0-b197-86bd45230d52`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Montana legislature records).