Bill > LC0175

This bill amends Montana's existing law on endangering the welfare of children by expanding and clarifying several key provisions. The bill preserves existing protections while adding nuanced definitions of acceptable parental supervision, such as allowing children to engage in independent activities like walking to school, playing outside, or briefly remaining in a vehicle. It broadens the definition of contributing to a child's delinquency to include new prohibited actions, such as encouraging a child to enter adult-use dispensaries, places of drug production, or human trafficking environments. The bill also expands restrictions on exposing children to dangerous substances, moving beyond methamphetamine to include a wider range of drugs not prescribed by a physician. The legislation maintains existing penalties, with most violations resulting in fines up to $500 or six months in county jail for a first offense, and more severe penalties (up to $10,000 and five years in state prison) for more serious infractions like manufacturing dangerous drugs in the presence of children. Additionally, the bill provides a mechanism for parents to request that unrelated adults stop contacting their children if they believe such contact is not in the child's best interests, with potential legal recourse through protective orders.

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/lc/bill/2/LC0175