Environment
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
StateMontanaIn Committee
SB 96: Establish working animal protection act
John Fuller
SB 96 status: In Committee — (H) Died in Committee (updated Jun 9, 2025).
Source
OpenStates
Confidence
Low
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
01
What this bill does
Official summary alongside an AI-generated read on where it stands and why.
Overall Score
Not enough information
Score:Not enough information
Risk:Low Risk
Impact:Moderate Impact 30/100
Constitutionality85%
Bipartisan50%
Public opinion80%
Bill summary
What changes
The bill aimed to create new legal protections for working animals, including service animals and police dogs, to ensure their safety and health.
Who is affected
Handlers, trainers, and agencies utilizing working animals within the state of Montana.
Requirements and enforcement
Not stated in the available source.
Costs and funding
Not stated in the available source.
When it takes effect
The bill died in committee.
Potential benefits
Potential for improved health and welfare standards for working animals, which would benefit both the animals and their human handlers.
Risks and tradeoffs
Ambiguity regarding enforcement mechanisms and specific regulatory standards.
What is still unknown
The exact definition of 'working animal,' specific penalty structures for violations, and the administrative framework for oversight.
02
Impact analysis
✦ AI analysisModeled effects across six domains, estimated from bill text and comparable legislation.
Economy
Positive outlook
60%
Benefits
- Establishes professional care standards
- Protects high-value animal assets
- Reduces potential loss of trained animals
Risks
- Potential compliance costs for handlers
- Regulatory burden on small operations
- Training compliance costs
Society
Positive outlook
65%
Benefits
- Enhanced legal protections for service animals
- Increased safety for disabled handlers
- Supports broader social participation
Risks
- Implementation policy gaps
- Legal definition uncertainty
- Potential for litigation
Technology Industry
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Civic Accountability
Not enough information
Not enough information to score this sector.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Public Health & Safety
Positive outlook
65%
Benefits
- Improved health standards for animals
- Enhanced reliability for police dogs
- Direct safety benefits for handlers
Risks
- Regulatory uncertainty
- Inconsistent enforcement mechanisms
- Lack of detailed health mandates
03
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Sourcing already shown above, this is what the analysis found worth flagging.
Source
OpenStates
Official bill text or data from OpenStates.
Confidence
Low
Information is limited or incomplete.
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
Source used for this bill's analysis.
Source note
LegiScan returned a PDF-only document. PDF extraction is not enabled in this build, so the pipeline used a safer fallback.
Analysis scope
Abstract only; no legislative text reviewed.
04
Where it stands
Official record- IntroducedComplete
- CommitteeCurrent
- Chamber votesUpcoming
- Final agreementUpcoming
- GovernorUpcoming
- EnactedUpcoming
05
How it affects your district
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06
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