SB251 • 2025

Establish confidentiality for child and family ombudsman

Children

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Dennis Lenz
Last action: 2025-04-17
Official status: Chapter Number Assigned
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Establish confidentiality for child and family ombudsman

What This Bill Does

Establish confidentiality for child and family ombudsman

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2025-04-17 SENATE
Chapter Number Assigned
2025-04-16 SENATE
(S) Signed by Governor
2025-04-08 SENATE
(S) Transmitted to Governor
2025-04-07 HOUSE
(H) Signed by Speaker
2025-04-01 SENATE
(S) Signed by President
2025-03-28 SENATE
(S) Returned from Enrolling
2025-03-26 HOUSE
(H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
2025-03-26 HOUSE
(H) 3rd Reading Concurred
2025-03-26 SENATE
(S) Sent to Enrolling
2025-03-25 HOUSE
(H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
2025-03-25 HOUSE
(H) 2nd Reading Concurred
2025-03-19 HOUSE
(H) Committee Report--Bill Concurred
2025-03-18 HOUSE
(H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred
2025-03-05 HOUSE
(H) Hearing
2025-02-27 HOUSE
(H) Referred to Committee
2025-02-27 HOUSE
(H) First Reading
2025-02-26 SENATE
(S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
2025-02-26 SENATE
(S) 3rd Reading Passed
2025-02-26 SENATE
(S) Transmitted to House
2025-02-25 SENATE
(S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
2025-02-25 SENATE
(S) 2nd Reading Passed
2025-02-24 SENATE
(S) Committee Report--Bill Passed
2025-02-21 SENATE
(S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed
2025-02-13 SENATE
(S) Hearing
2025-02-05 SENATE
(S) Referred to Committee
2025-01-31 SENATE
(S) Introduced
2025-01-31 SENATE
(S) First Reading
2025-01-30 HOUSE
(LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
2025-01-29 HOUSE
(LC) Draft in Assembly
2025-01-29 HOUSE
(LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
2025-01-28 HOUSE
(LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
2025-01-27 HOUSE
(LC) Draft in Legal Review
2025-01-27 HOUSE
(LC) Draft in Edit
2025-01-27 HOUSE
(LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
2025-01-24 HOUSE
(LC) Draft Taken Off Hold
2024-10-25 HOUSE
(LC) Draft On Hold
2024-10-21 HOUSE
(LC) Drafter Assigned

Official Summary Text

Establish confidentiality for child and family ombudsman

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

****
69th Legislature 2025 SB 251
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – SB 251
ENROLLED BILL
AN ACT GENERALLY REVISING LAWS RELATED TO THE OFFICE OF THE CHILD AND FAMILY
OMBUDSMAN; PROVIDING THAT MATTERS UNDER INVESTIGATION ARE CONFIDENTIAL; AND
PROVIDING DISCLOSURE EXCEPTIONS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Confidentiality -- disclosure exceptions. (1) The office of the child and family
ombudsman shall treat all matters under investigation as confidential. Information received, collected, and
maintained by the office of the child and family ombudsman may not be disclosed or disseminated except as
provided by this part.
(2) (a) Records of the office of the child and family ombudsman may be disclosed to a court for in
camera inspection if relevant to an issue before the court. Except as provided in subsection (2)(b), the court
may permit disclosure in a proceeding if the court finds disclosure to be necessary for the fair resolution of an
issue.
(b) Except as provided in 41-3-1214, the identity of a person that contacts or files a request for
assistance from the ombudsman is confidential.
Section 2. Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title
41, chapter 3, part 12, and the provisions of Title 41, chapter 3, part 12, apply to [section 1].
- END -
I hereby certify that the within bill,
SB 251, originated in the Senate.
___________________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
___________________________________________
President of the Senate
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
___________________________________________
Speaker of the House
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
SENATE BILL NO. 251
INTRODUCED BY D. LENZ
AN ACT GENERALLY REVISING LAWS RELATED TO THE OFFICE OF THE CHILD AND FAMILY
OMBUDSMAN; PROVIDING THAT MATTERS UNDER INVESTIGATION ARE CONFIDENTIAL; AND
PROVIDING DISCLOSURE EXCEPTIONS.