HB157 • 2025

Revise alcohol laws related to responsible server and sales training

Labor Taxes

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Kelly Kortum
Last action: 2025-04-07
Official status: Chapter Number Assigned
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the content of the training programs or their duration beyond requiring different types of training based on employment context.

Changes to Alcohol Server and Sales Training Laws

This law changes the rules for alcohol server and sales training programs in Montana by requiring different types of training based on whether servers work at places where people can drink on-site or take drinks off-site.

What This Bill Does

Requires two types of training programs: one for employees who serve alcohol at places where it is consumed right there, like bars and restaurants.
The other type of training is shorter and for employees who sell alcohol to be taken away from the store, like grocery stores or liquor shops.

Who It Names or Affects

People who work in places that serve or sell alcohol
Businesses that have licenses to serve or sell alcohol

Terms To Know

Licensee: A business with a permit to sell alcohol
On-premises consumption: Drinking alcohol at the place where it is sold, like in a bar or restaurant

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not specify how long each training program must be.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1

COMMITTEE

Plain English: Amendment 1 to HB157 changes the alcohol laws by requiring two different types of training programs for employees based on whether they work at a place where alcohol can be consumed on-site or only sold for off-premises consumption, with shorter training required for those selling off-premises.

Adds requirements for the Montana Department of Revenue to certify two classes of server and sales training programs: one for employees working in locations that allow on-premises alcohol consumption and another for those only providing off-premises alcohol sales.
Specifies that the training program for off-premises sales must be completed within at least half the time required for on-premises consumption training.

The amendment text does not specify exact durations or details about the content of each type of training, which limits a full understanding of how long each program will take and what specific information they must cover.

Bill History

2025-04-07 HOUSE
(H) Signed by Governor
2025-04-07 HOUSE
Chapter Number Assigned
2025-04-01 SENATE
(S) Signed by President
2025-04-01 HOUSE
(H) Transmitted to Governor
2025-03-28 HOUSE
(H) Signed by Speaker
2025-03-25 HOUSE
(H) Returned from Enrolling
2025-03-24 SENATE
(S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
2025-03-24 SENATE
(S) 3rd Reading Concurred
2025-03-24 HOUSE
(H) Sent to Enrolling
2025-03-21 SENATE
(S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
2025-03-21 SENATE
(S) 2nd Reading Concurred
2025-03-19 SENATE
(S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred
2025-03-19 SENATE
(S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred
2025-02-27 SENATE
(S) Hearing
2025-02-17 SENATE
(S) Referred to Committee
2025-01-28 SENATE
(S) First Reading
2025-01-27 HOUSE
(H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
2025-01-27 HOUSE
(H) 3rd Reading Passed
2025-01-27 HOUSE
(H) Transmitted to Senate
2025-01-24 HOUSE
(H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
2025-01-24 HOUSE
(H) 2nd Reading Passed
2025-01-21 HOUSE
(H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed as Amended
2025-01-21 HOUSE
(H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed as Amended
2025-01-21 HOUSE
(H) Committee Report--Bill Passed as Amended
2025-01-16 HOUSE
(H) Fiscal Note Printed
2025-01-15 HOUSE
(H) Fiscal Note Received
2025-01-15 HOUSE
(H) Fiscal Note Signed
2025-01-14 HOUSE
(H) Hearing
2025-01-10 HOUSE
(H) Referred to Committee
2025-01-10 HOUSE
(H) First Reading
2025-01-09 HOUSE
(H) Introduced
2025-01-09 HOUSE
(H) Fiscal Note Requested
2025-01-08 HOUSE
(LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
2024-12-20 HOUSE
(LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
2024-12-16 HOUSE
(LC) Draft in Assembly
2024-12-12 HOUSE
(LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
2024-12-11 HOUSE
(LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
2024-12-03 HOUSE
(LC) Draft in Edit
2024-11-29 HOUSE
(LC) Draft in Legal Review
2024-11-19 HOUSE
(LC) Drafter Assigned

Official Summary Text

Revise alcohol laws related to responsible server and sales training

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

- 2025
69th Legislature 2025 HB 157
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 157
ENROLLED BILL
AN ACT REVISING ALCOHOL LAWS RELATING TO THE RESPONSIBLE SERVER AND SALES TRAINING
PROGRAM; REQUIRING TWO TRAINING PROGRAMS RELATED TO WHETHER THE SERVER IS
EMPLOYED AT A LICENSED LOCATION WHERE ON-PREMISES CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL IS
ALLOWED; REQUIRING THAT A PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYEES OF LICENSEES ONLY PROVIDING OFF-
PREMISES CONSUMPTION MUST TAKE LESS TIME; AMENDING SECTION 16-4-1006, MCA; AND
PROVIDING A DELAYED EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Section 16-4-1006, MCA, is amended to read:
"16-4-1006. Responsible server and sales training program. (1) The Subject to subsection (2), the
department shall certify all server and sales training programs that include the following:
(a) effects of alcohol on the human body;
(b) information, including criminal, civil, and administrative penalties, related to 27-1-710 and this
code;
(c) procedures for checking identification;
(d) procedures for gathering proper documentation that may affect the licensee's liability;
(e) training for skills to handle difficult situations and to learn evaluation techniques regarding
intoxicated persons or others that pose potential liability;
(f) a final test; and
(g) a certificate of completion, which must be provided to participants who pass the final test.
(2) The department shall certify two classes of training programs based on the nature of
employment of the individual as follows:
(a) programs for employees of licensed locations that provide for on-premises consumption; and
- 2025
69th Legislature 2025 HB 157
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – HB 157
ENROLLED BILL
(b) programs for employees of licensees that only provide for off-premises consumption. A training
program under this subsection (2)(b) must be completed within at least half of the time for programs under
subsection (2)(a).
(2)(3) The department may not provide a responsible server and sales training program."
Section 2. Effective date. [This act] is effective January 1, 2026.
- END -
I hereby certify that the within bill,
HB 157, originated in the House.
___________________________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
___________________________________________
Speaker of the House
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
___________________________________________
President of the Senate
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
HOUSE BILL NO. 157
INTRODUCED BY K. KORTUM, E. BUTTREY
AN ACT REVISING ALCOHOL LAWS RELATING TO THE RESPONSIBLE SERVER AND SALES TRAINING
PROGRAM; REQUIRING TWO TRAINING PROGRAMS RELATED TO WHETHER THE SERVER IS
EMPLOYED AT A LICENSED LOCATION WHERE ON-PREMISES CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL IS
ALLOWED; REQUIRING THAT A PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYEES OF LICENSEES ONLY PROVIDING OFF-
PREMISES CONSUMPTION MUST TAKE LESS TIME; AMENDING SECTION 16-4-1006, MCA; AND
PROVIDING A DELAYED EFFECTIVE DATE.