Montana SB 544 (Age Verification)

BadLawMT SB 544Montana, United StatesHigh threat
In force
  1. Introduced
  2. Passed Senate
  3. Passed House
  4. Became Law

Stage 4 of 4: Became Law

Montana's adult-site age check, carried by a Democrat and later stripped of its state enforcement, leaving only private lawsuits.

Latest update

Took effect

Read the full billView official bill record

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What it does

Montana SB 544 makes any commercial site with a substantial share of material harmful to minors verify a visitor is 18 through a government ID or a commercial age-check service. A late amendment removed the Attorney General's enforcement role, so the law now runs on a private right of action for a person, or the parent of a minor, harmed by noncompliance.

What’s at stake

Montana shows the model crosses party lines: the sponsor was a Missoula Democrat, not a culture-war Republican. Stripping out the Attorney General did not soften the demand on users, who still have to prove their age to reach lawful content.

Our take

A Democrat carried this in Montana, which tells you the age-verification push is not a one-party project. The Free Speech Coalition challenge was thrown out, so the law stands with private plaintiffs as the only enforcers.

Timeline

Took effectLatest

Signed into law

Sponsor

Sen. Willis Curdy (D)

Votes

  • Senate — Passed (47 to 3) · April 4, 2023
  • House — Passed (84 to 13) · April 24, 2023

Legal challenges

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