MT Right to Compute Act
Montana SB 212 (2025) – Right to Compute Act
Montana · Mont. SB 212, 69th Leg., 2025 Reg. Sess., signed Apr. 17, 2025
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- April 17, 2025
- Applies to
- Montana state and local government entities seeking to regulate AI or computing
- Enforced by
- Courts (constitutional challenge mechanism)
Montana became the first state to enshrine a constitutional right to compute, guaranteeing residents the right to own and use computational resources including AI hardware, software, and data processing tools. Any government regulation restricting these rights must meet a strict scrutiny standard.
Who is protected: Montana residents and businesses seeking to own or use AI and computing resources
Legal detail
Mont. SB 212, 69th Leg. (2025), signed by Gov. Gianforte Apr. 17, 2025; creates Montana Right to Compute Act; grounds ownership and use of computational resources (including AI tools) in Mont. Const. property and free expression rights; requires government restrictions to be demonstrably necessary and narrowly tailored to a compelling interest.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Montana |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Strength | Limited |
| Enacted | April 17, 2025 |
| Citation | Mont. SB 212, 69th Leg., 2025 Reg. Sess., signed Apr. 17, 2025 |
| Penalties | Not applicable — creates a right rather than a restriction |
| Topics | government use of AI |
| Legal analysis | Montana Becomes First State to Enshrine 'Right to Compute' Into Law – Montana Newsroom |
More AI rules in Montana
- Montana MCDPA · In effect
- Montana SB 25 election deepfakes — preliminarily enjoined as to plaintiff (2026) · In effect
- Montana SB 413 (crime to share explicit deepfakes) · In effect
- Montana HB 514 (sextortion deepfakes in privacy crime) · In effect
- Montana HB 178 (limits on government AI use) · In effect
- Montana HB 513 (property right in voice & likeness vs. deepfakes) · In effect
Related government use of AI rules elsewhere
- CA EO N-6-26 (AI Workforce) · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Arkansas public entity AI/ADS policy mandate (Act 848, 2025) · In effect
- Inver Grove Heights MN data center moratorium amended under lawsuit (2026) · In effect
- FERC order directing PJM and other grid operators to reform tariffs on… · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- San Marcos citywide data center ban (Land Use Matrix amendment) · In effect
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