S.B. 208 Vehicle Emission Inspection Program Revisions

What this bill does

The bill would stop the state motor vehicle division from registering a vehicle while its owner has unpaid civil penalties for giving a false or improper address. Registration could go ahead once those penalties are paid or the vehicle has a new owner.

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Every vote

• 6 yes, 0 no, 1 absentSenate Revenue and Taxation Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 2, 2026Who voted how
• 17 yes, 7 no, 5 absentFirst of two Senate votes · Feb 20, 2026Who voted how
• 25 yes, 0 no, 4 absentFinal Senate vote · Feb 27, 2026Who voted how
• 66 yes, 0 no, 9 absentFinal House vote · Mar 4, 2026

Hearings and debates

• Feb 2, 2026 Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (12 turns)

  1. Sen. Daniel McCay (presiding)30:06

     Emission Inspection program revisions by Senator Pitcher. Time is yours.

  2. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher30:11

     Thank you, Mr. Chair and committee. It's good to be in front of you. Um, pull That mic a little closer to you, I think. Saw any better? That's much Better. Okay. Thank you. SB 2 0 8 is a continuation of an effort that I worked on a few years ago addressing admissions testing and state enforcement tools. Um, this effort from a few years ago came to me from an individual who worked with, at the Weber Health Department, Weber County Health Department. And the concern that he had raised at the time was that, um, there are five or six counties that are subject to admissions testing, Weber being one of them. And the frustration was that the health department, uh, would come across individuals who instead of presenting to the county where they reside for admissions testing, they would just go and register their vehicle in another county where they don't live, sending revenue away from their county to the outside county and essentially skirting the emissions testing, uh, process. And so this employee was frustrated by what he knew was happening, and there was really no mechanism of enforcement to ensure the individuals properly register their vehicle within the county where they reside. And so, a few years ago, a few years ago, the legislature passed a bill that allows counties to impose a civil fee and the ability to open an investigation and look into registration, uh, irreg irregularities. Um, what we failed to do, and what I think would've been proper at the time, is to also allow for a revocation of an individual's registration until they come into compliance with emissions testing requirements. Otherwise, individuals can pay the fee and continue to skirt that requirement. That leaves our government employees banging their heads against the wall, trying to figure out what type of enforcement we can put into place to actually ensure that individuals are registering where they need to register. Um, so I think this is a helpful way to not only give our state employees those tools, but to also ensure that taxpayer revenue is properly allocated to the correct counties. Um, and with that, I'm happy to answer any questions.

  3. Sen. John Brammer (presiding)32:03

     Okay. Um, any questions from the committee? I'm not seeing any. I guess my question is, why don't they just register in Montana? I'm Just kidding. I'm missing the joke. All right. You'll have to explain to me later.

  4. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher32:22

     Yeah, we're, we're, we're trying to fix that. We're, we're getting there. Alright.

  5. Sen. John Brammer (presiding)32:26

     Any online, any questions online? Okay. Um, seeing no questions, we'll go to the public. Any, any commentary from the public? Would you have one? Come on up.

  6. Bryce Bird, Director, Division of Air Quality32:45

     Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, uh, and members of the committee. My name is Bryce Bird. I'm the director of the Division of Air Quality and of course, we, uh, rely on these emissions testing programs to, uh, help us make progress with, uh, air quality. Just, uh, two things with, uh, folks that register out of county and avoid the emissions test. Of course. Uh, a couple of impacts of that. First of all, they're operating those vehicles in counties, uh, and perhaps, uh, providing extra pollution in those counties which would otherwise be controlled, but also by removing those vehicles from the testing pool. It also puts, uh, cost pressures on the, the testing entities to increase the prices to, uh, rather than spread it across the, the full fleet of vehicles, there are fewer vehicles. And so it increased the, the cost for the individual tests. So again, uh, important for air quality and we appreciate your support.

  7. Sen. John Brammer (presiding)33:30

     Alright. Excellent. Alright. Any other comments from the public? Seeing none, we'll come back to the Committee for Action Risk. Senator Escamilla.

  8. Sen. Luz Escamilla33:45

     Um, perfect. Thank you. Mr. Chair. Make a motion that we recommend SB 2 0 8 to the floor with a favorable recommendation.

  9. Sen. John Brammer (presiding)33:55

     Alright. We have a motion to recommend SB 2 0 8. Any, uh, any commentary on the motion?

  10. Unknown speaker34:02speaker not certain

      No, I think this is an ongoing work of, of the good Senator and, uh, Bryce Bird, as he explained this, is these are critical tools just to make sure things are, are done correctly. And so she's just closing those, those uh, loopholes sometimes out there, even though, like I said, she's been working on this for a while.

  11. Sen. John Brammer (presiding)34:19

      Okay. And we'll go back to the bill sponsor anything I'll waive. Okay. And we'll place that for a vote. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Some of them paying on size. And any opposed? I rule that motion passes unanimously. Thank you. Thank you.

  12. Sen. Daniel McCay (presiding)34:42

      Thank you very much. Senator Brammer? Uh, we will, just looking at the agenda, I think we're all out of items for the day. So, uh, looks like Senate bill 180 7. Got everybody unexcited. So deal with that one next time. Uh, we'll take one more motion then from, uh, Senator Brammer. Motion to adjourn in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Aye. We are adjourned.

• Feb 20, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (6 turns)

  1. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher24:50

     of Motor Vehicles from registering a vehicle. If the owner has unpaid civil penalties for providing a false or improper address, answer any questions.

  2. Senate President (presiding)24:59

     Thank you for the presentation. Senator, do we have discussion dialogue on the bill? Not seeing any. I'm gonna go to you for a motion. Senator Pitcher,

  3. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher25:09

     I motion that, uh, Senate Bill 2 0 8. Be read for a third time.

  4. Senate President (presiding)25:12

     Thank you. The question is, shall Senate bill 2 2 0 8 be read A third time? Roll call vote.

  5. Senate clerk (roll call)25:18

     Senator Vickers Baldry Lewin Ramer bus Aye. Colmore Escamia Aye. Fillmore Grover. Harper Aye. Kins Ipson Johnson. Juab Aye. McKay Mikel Milner Musman Owens pitcher Plum Rebe Sandal Stevenson Stratton Vickers Weiler Wilson Aye. Winterton Stevenson Johnson, no. President Adams Nolan. Two. No. One. Two. Senate Bill 2 0 8.

  6. Senate President (presiding)26:38

     Having received 17 yay votes. Seven A votes. Five being absent. Shall we read a third time?

• Feb 27, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (8 turns)

  1. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher39:22

     This bill prohibits the, uh, motor vehicle division from registering a vehicle. If the owner has unpaid civil penalties for providing a false or proper improper address, I'm happy to answer any questions.

  2. Senate President (presiding)39:33

     Thank you. Is there a discussion to this bill? There is none. So Senator Pitcher back to you for submission or a motion.

  3. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher39:42

     Thank you. I move that Senate Bill 2 0 8 pass

  4. Senate President (presiding)39:45

     And the question is, shall Senate bill two zero eight pass Roll call

  5. Senate clerk39:48

     Vote. Senator Vickers Baldy Lewin Aye. Brammer Aye. Bus. Aye. Colmore Escamilla Aye. Fillmore Grover Aye. Harper Aye. Kins Aye. Ipson Aye. Johnson Aye. Juab McKay Mikel Milner Musselman Owens pitcher Plum Rebe Sandal Stevenson Stratton Vickers Weiler Wilson Winterton Musman

  6. Senate President (presiding)40:45

     Aye. President Adams

  7. Senate President (presiding)40:50

     Senate Bill 2 0 8 Having received 25 yay votes, zero nay votes for being absent passes the Senate be sent to the house for further consideration. Senator Sandall.

  8. Sen. Scott D. Sandall41:01

     Thank you Mr. President Potti Motion to encircle Senate resolution four

• Mar 4, 2026 House floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (4 turns)

  1. Meeting clerk1:52:29

     Meeting clerk Senate Bill 2 0 8, vehicle Emissions Inspection Program revisions by Senator Pitcher. This bill did not receive a standing committee hearing. The house sponsor's Representative Teuscher Representative Teuscher

  2. Speaker (presiding)1:52:46

     Move to circle Motion is to circle. Would you like to speak to it?

  3. Rep. Jordan D. Teuscher1:52:50

     I would. Uh, colleagues, this is a bill that did not receive a house hearing. However, it is a really good bill. It's very short, easy to read, so I'd encourage everyone to take a look at it. Scrutinize it. I'd be happy to answer questions when we come back and encircle, it'll tell you more about it.

  4. Speaker (presiding)1:53:04

     Thank you. The motion is to circle discussion to the motion. Seen none. All in favor say aye. A opposed say no. Motion carries. The bill will be circled matter. Leading clerk.

• Mar 4, 2026 House floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (11 turns)

  1. Speaker (presiding)2:19:20

     The motion to be forced the house encircle Senate bill 2 0 8. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Will that motion passes the bills uncircled before the body for its consideration. Back to you Representative Teuscher.

  2. Rep. Jordan D. Teuscher2:19:32

     Thank you Mr. Speaker. This is a very simple bill. This bill simply prohibits the DMV from registering a vehicle. If the owner has unpaid civil penalties for providing a false or improper address, as soon as they pay those penalties, or if the car is owned by a new owner, then they can go ahead and register it. But until those penalties are paid, they, the DMV can't register that car. Happy to answer any questions.

  3. Speaker (presiding)2:19:55

     Thank you Representative Teuscher discussion to the bill Representative Watkins.

  4. Rep. Christine F. Watkins2:20:02

     Thank you Mr. Speaker. While the sponsor yield Representative Teuscher, will you yield?

  5. Rep. Jordan D. Teuscher2:20:07

     Yes. Yes. Representative Watkins, Would you say it? Sorry.

  6. Rep. Christine F. Watkins2:20:11

     Would you say again, the penalties that they need to take care of If, if they're, um, given a civil penalty because they registered the car to a invalid address or an address that they don't live at. Okay. Thank you. That's all I needed. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

  7. Speaker (presiding)2:20:25

     Thank you Representative Watkins. Uh, further discussion to the bill. See none back to Representative Teuscher for summation,

  8. Rep. Jordan D. Teuscher2:20:33

     I'll waive summation has been waived.

  9. Speaker (presiding)2:20:35

     We'll, I'll be open on SB 2 0 8. Seeing all president having voted voting is now closed. SB 2 0 8 passes this body with 66 yes votes zero no votes will be sent to the Senate for its consideration or signed by the speaker sent to the Senate for the signature of the president representatives, we gotta vote quickly. Uh, let's go to Representative Corinne Peterson.

  10. Rep. Karen M. Peterson2:21:29speaker not certain

      Uh, thank you. Motion to encircle for substitute SB 3 24.

  11. Speaker (presiding)2:21:33

      That motion is in order. We'll go ahead and place the motion. The motion before is the house encircle first