SB 212 (Chapter 150, Laws of 2025) — Right to Compute Act

Summary

Montana's Right to Compute Act (SB 212, Chapter 150, Laws of 2025), signed on April 16, 2025, and effective on passage and approval, provides that government actions restricting the private ownership or use of computational resources for lawful purposes must be demonstrably necessary and narrowly tailored to a compelling government interest. Where critical infrastructure facilities are controlled in whole or in part by a critical AI system, the deployer must adopt a reasonable risk management policy that considers the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, ISO/IEC AI standards or another recognized framework; a plan prepared under federal requirements counts as compliance. The introduced bill's shutdown requirement was replaced by this risk-management duty. Codified at Montana Code Annotated 2-10-201 to 2-10-207.

Key dates

1. April 16, 2025Enacted
2. October 16, 2026Checked against sources
3. October 21, 2026Checked against sources

Developments are added when the record is reviewed. Next review: October 16, 2027.

Evidence

Each passage is quoted from its source. The quoted passages are re-checked against the live pages every month.

1. CREATING THE RIGHT TO COMPUTE ACT; REQUIRING A RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES CONTROLLED BY AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM; PROVIDING DEFINITIONS; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE

   Supports: Title and purpose

   Section 10. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.

   Supports: Effective date

   SB 212 enrolled bill (SB0212_X.pdf) Montana Legislature Primary source

2. the deployer shall develop a risk management policy after deploying the system that is reasonable and considers guidance and standards in the latest version of the artificial intelligence risk management framework from the national institute of standards and technology

   Supports: Risk-management duty

   History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 150, L. 2025.

   Supports: Chapter 150, Laws of 2025

   MCA 2-10-205 Montana Legislature (Montana Code Annotated 2025) Primary source

3. This part may be cited as the "Right to Compute Act".

   Supports: Short title as codified

   MCA 2-10-201. Short title Montana Legislature (Montana Code Annotated 2025) Primary source

4. Apr 8 Transmitted to Governor Apr 16 Signed by Governor Apr 17 Chapter Number Assigned

   Supports: Signing date

   Senate Bill 212 — 2025 Capitol Tracker Montana Free Press Reporting or analysis