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Bill

Bill

LC 3120

Ban foreign funding for ballot measures

2025 Regular Session

Montana bill would bar foreign funding of ballot measure campaigns to prevent external influence on direct democracy processes.

(LC) Draft Died in Process
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · LC 3120

Legislative bill overview

LC 3120 proposes to prohibit foreign individuals, entities, and governments from contributing money or resources to fund ballot measure campaigns in Montana. The bill would create restrictions on who can financially support initiatives, referenda, and other direct democracy processes at the state and local levels.

Why is this important

Ballot measures are a primary mechanism through which Montana citizens directly enact laws, so the funding sources behind these campaigns directly influence policy outcomes. Foreign interference in electoral processes—including ballot measures—is a documented national security concern, making transparency and restrictions on foreign funding a recurring policy debate.

Potential points of contention

  • Definitional challenges: The bill would need to precisely define "foreign" entities, subsidiaries, and indirect funding flows, as multinational corporations and complex ownership structures create enforcement ambiguities
  • First Amendment tensions: Courts have struck down some campaign funding restrictions as speech violations; opponents may argue this infringes on free speech rights or creates unequal restrictions between foreign and domestic speakers
  • Enforcement feasibility: Tracking foreign funding sources across digital platforms and shell companies presents significant practical and resource challenges for state enforcement
  • Scope concerns: The bill's applicability to local ballot measures versus state-level measures, and whether it covers in-kind contributions, would affect its real-world reach

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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