MT HB100

Public agencies (excluding local governments) must acknowledge public information requests within 5 business days and provide single, specific records within 5 working days; complex requests must be fulfilled within 90 days or 6 months with written justification

First hour of service is free for non-specific records requests after paying a filing fee of up to $5; hourly fees for searching, gathering, reviewing, and processing records are capped at $25 per hour

Public agencies (excluding local governments) must by November 1, 2026 publish their request process online, provide statistics on requests received and response times, and retain requests and responses for 2 years on a state website

Requesters may file a complaint in district court if a public agency that is not a local government fails to meet response deadlines; prevailing parties may be awarded costs and reasonable attorney fees

Effective October 1, 2025 for most provisions, with expanded requirements for all non-local government public agencies taking effect July 1, 2026