Mont. Code Ann. » TITLE 1. GENERAL LAWS AND DEFINITIONS · CHAPTER 2. STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION · Part 2. Effect of Legislature's Actions
Montana Code Annotated

Mont. Code Ann. § 1-2-201 (2026)

Statutes -- Effective Date

✓ current as of May 2026
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  1. MCA Contents
  2. TITLE 1
  3. CHAPTER 2
  4. Part 2
  5. 1-2-201 Statutes -- effective date

TITLE 1. GENERAL LAWS AND DEFINITIONS

CHAPTER 2. STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION

Part 2. Effect of Legislature's Actions

Statutes -- Effective Date

1-2-201. Statutes -- effective date. (1) (a) Except as provided in subsection (1)(b), (1)(c), or (1)(d), every statute adopted after January 1, 1981, takes effect on the first day of October following its passage and approval unless a different time is prescribed in the enacting legislation.

(b) Subject to subsection (1)(d), every statute providing for appropriation by the legislature for public funds for a public purpose takes effect on the first day of July following its passage and approval unless a different time is prescribed in the enacting legislation.

(c) Subject to subsection (1)(d), every statute providing for the taxation of or the imposition of a fee on motor vehicles takes effect on the first day of January following its passage and approval unless a different time is prescribed in the enacting legislation.

(d) Every statute enacted during a special session of the legislature takes effect upon passage and approval unless a different time is prescribed in the enacting legislation.

(2) "Passage", as used in subsection (1), means the enactment into law of a bill, which has passed the legislature, either with or without the approval of the governor, as provided in the constitution.

History: (1)En. Sec. 3466, C. Civ. Proc. 1895; re-en. Sec. 8074, Rev. C. 1907; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 92, L. 1921; re-en. Sec. 90, R.C.M. 1921; Cal. Pol. C. Sec. 323; re-en. Sec. 90, R.C.M. 1935; Sec. 43-507, R.C.M. 1947; (2)En. Sec. 3467, C. Civ. Proc. 1895; re-en. Sec. 8075, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 91, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 91, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 20, Ch. 100, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 309, L. 1977; Sec. 43-508, R.C.M. 1947; R.C.M. 1947, 43-507, 43-508; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 119, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 466, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 604, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 18, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 104, L. 2003.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 14 cases, 1979–2019 · leading case: State v. Coleman, 605 P.2d 1000 (Mont. 1979).
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State v. Coleman, 605 P.2d 1000 (Mont. 1979). · cites it 6× “1947 (now section 1-2-201(1) MCA) provides: "Every statute, unless a different time is prescribed therein, takes effect on the first day of July of the year of its passage and approval.”
Mountain West Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. v. Hall, 2001 MT 314 (Mont. 2001). · cites it 4× “¶ 12 Pursuant to § 1-2-201, MCA, every statute adopted after January 1, 1981, takes effect on the first day of October following its passage and approval unless the enacting legislation prescribes otherwise.”
Schoof v. Nesbit, 2014 MT 6 (Mont. 2014). · cites it 3× “Section 1-2-201, MCA (2007). Accordingly, the 2005 version of the *236 statute was still in effect and provides the limitations period for Schoofs right to know claim.”
State v. Thomas, 445 P.3d 777 (Mont. 2019). · cites it 2× “See § 1-2-201(1), MCA. Section 44 of HB 133 states: " Applicability.”
Stenberg v. Neel, 613 P.2d 1007 (Mont. 1980). · cites it 3× “Stenberg next contends that the District Court erred in instructing the jury to apply the law of contributory negligence rather than the law of comparative negligence. Section 27-1-702, MCA, sets forth Montana’s law of comparative negligence.”
State v. Woods, 947 P.2d 62 (Mont. 1997). · cites it 4× “Laws 698; § 1-2-201, MCA; Laws of Montana (1983), Vol.”
State v. Bullplume, 2013 MT 169 (Mont. 2013). · cites it 2× “318, § 8; § 1-2-201(1), MCA. Thus, we cite the 2009 version of this statute.”
Ford v. Sentry Cas. Co., 2012 MT 156 (Mont. 2012). · cites it 6× “Thus, laws enacted by the 2009 Legislature did not take effect until two days after Ford’s accident (again, with exceptions not applicable here, see § 1-2-201, MCA). It follows, then, that the 2007 version of the Act governs Ford’s claim, and all statutory 17 references below…”
Womack v. Eggebrecht (In re Demis), 191 B.R. 851 (Bankr. D. Mont. 1996). · cites it 2× “324; Mont.Code Ann. § 1-2-201. Therefore the Court must adjudicate the Trustee’s complaint under the UFTA.”
Tipton v. Mont. Thirteenth Jud. Dist. Court, 421 P.3d 780 (Mont. 2018). · cites it 2× “See § 1-2-201, MCA. The 2017 Legislature extended the statute of limitations for sexual crimes against minors until twenty years after the victim's eighteenth birthday.”
Caldwell v. Great W. Sugar Co., 746 P.2d 627 (Mont. 1987). · cites it 6× “Section 1-2-201, MCA. This Court is conunitting a grave error in denying this worker access to such benefits as may he available from the uninsured employer's fund.”
Springer v. Opsahl, 744 P.2d 884 (Mont. 1987). · cites it 3× “Section 1-2-201, MCA, indicates an effective date of October 1, 1985 unless the legislation provides otherwise or is an appropriation of public funds for a public purpose.”
Show all 14 citing cases →
Mont. Code Ann. § 1-2-201(1): 6 cases
State v. Coleman, 605 P.2d 1000 (Mont. 1979). “1947 (now section 1-2-201(1) MCA) provides: "Every statute, unless a different time is prescribed therein, takes effect on the first day of July of the year of its passage and approval.”
State v. Thomas, 445 P.3d 777 (Mont. 2019). “See § 1-2-201(1), MCA. Section 44 of HB 133 states: " Applicability.”
Stenberg v. Neel, 613 P.2d 1007 (Mont. 1980). “Stenberg next contends that the District Court erred in instructing the jury to apply the law of contributory negligence rather than the law of comparative negligence. Section 27-1-702, MCA, sets forth Montana’s law of comparative negligence.”
State v. Bullplume, 2013 MT 169 (Mont. 2013). “318, § 8; § 1-2-201(1), MCA. Thus, we cite the 2009 version of this statute.”
State v. Bullplume, 2013 MT 169 (Mont. 2013).
Mont. Code Ann. § 1-2-201(1)(a): 1 case
Ford v. Sentry Cas. Co., 2012 MT 156 (Mont. 2012). “Thus, laws enacted by the 2009 Legislature did not take effect until two days after Ford’s accident (again, with exceptions not applicable here, see § 1-2-201, MCA). It follows, then, that the 2007 version of the Act governs Ford’s claim, and all statutory 17 references below…”
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