**** 69th Legislature 2025 HB 771.1 - 1 - Authorized Print Version β HB 771 1 HOUSE BILL NO. 771 2 INTRODUCED BY J. ETCHART, F. NAVE, G. KMETZ 3 4 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: βAN ACT REVISING LAWS REGARDING UNIVERSITY HOUSING; 5 REQUIRING A UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE IN THE MONTANA UNIVERSITY SYSTEM TO ALLOW A 6 STUDENT TO LIVE OFF CAMPUS WITH AN IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER WITHIN A CERTAIN DISTANCE 7 OF THE CAMPUS WHERE THE STUDENT ATTENDS; PROVIDING A DEFINITION; AND PROVIDING AN 8 EFFECTIVE DATE.β 9 10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: 11 12 NEW SECTION. Section 1. 13 college facility may not require a student to live in an on-campus housing facility as a condition of enrollment or 14 attendance at any unit of the Montana university system if the student lives with an immediate family member at 15 the family member's principal residence that, driving at a reasonable speed for the road surface, is within a 1- 16 hour drive of the campus where the student attends university or college. 17 (2) The university or college may require the student to submit a form attesting to the student's 18 residence with the immediate family member and may require the student to sign an acknowledgement that 19 providing false information regarding the student's residence may result in disciplinary action by the university 20 or college. 21 (3) When a student submits a form for approval of off-campus housing pursuant this section, the 22 university or college shall approve or deny the student's request within 2 business days. The university or 23 college may not deny the student's request if the student meets the requirements of this section. 24 (4) For the purposes of this section, "immediate family member" means a parent or legal guardian, 25 a grandparent, an aunt or uncle, or a sibling who is 18 years of age or older. 26 27 NEW SECTION. Section 2. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an 28 integral part of Title 20, chapter 25, part 5, and the provisions of Title 20, chapter 25, part 5, apply to [section 1]. **** 69th Legislature 2025 HB 771.1 - 2 - Authorized Print Version β HB 771 1 2 NEW SECTION. Section 3. [This act] is effective July 1, 2025. 3 - END -