Senate bill would create Montana Blockchain and Digital Innovation Task Force for off‑session policy work

Senator Gail Amers presented Senate Bill 330 to create a Montana Blockchain and Digital Innovation Task Force to gather experts and stakeholders in the interim between legislative sessions and develop policy options and legislative proposals for a future session.

Amers told the committee Montana has taken steps in digital‑asset law that attracted businesses and jobs, but that rapid technological change and a two‑year legislative cycle make it difficult for the legislature to keep pace. The task force in SB 330 would include the attorney general (or designee), the state auditor (or designee), and staggered appointments by the president of the senate, the speaker of the house and the governor, along with members from industry and regulators.

Proponents included Sam Sill of the Montana Bankers Association, who said banks are approaching digital assets cautiously and that policy development should balance innovation with consumer protection. Frank Cote, representing the commissioner of securities and insurance, and Eric Peterson of Satoshi Action Fund also urged a do‑pass recommendation and said other states’ task forces produced bipartisan, well‑vetted proposals.

Committee members expressed questions about the task force’s makeup and potential conflicts of interest. Representative Joy and others asked whether industry members on the task force could in effect regulate their own sector; Amers said legislators and regulators on the panel would provide oversight and that the appointing authorities should vet members’ qualifications. The sponsor said he would consider adjustments to membership balance if the committee desired.

Amers closed by saying a task force would give the legislature months of research and stakeholder input before the 2027 session and urged committee support.