Sen. Mike Cuff presented Senate Bill 276 as an updated voter identification bill that would require photo ID at the polls and explicitly list acceptable forms of identification, including Montana driver's licenses, Montana state ID cards, U.S. passports, military IDs, tribal photo IDs and photo IDs issued by institutions in the Montana University System. The sponsor said the bill incorporates language to cover tribal colleges and private NAIA colleges previously disputed in litigation.

The Secretary of State's representative, Austin James, urged support and framed the bill as a commonsense approach that mirrors language used in other states and addresses issues raised in prior litigation over which IDs should be accepted. He noted previous litigation downgraded tribal IDs to secondary status and said the bill restores language the sponsor and the Secretary of State believe courts and stakeholders will accept.

Ravalli County Election Administrator Regina Plettenberg and the Montana Association of Clerk and Recorders testified in support and said the bill applies to in‑person polling‑place identification and does not change voter registration rules. The hearing included technical clarifications about provisional ballots and opportunities for electors without ID to cure their ballot; proponents said that language was intentionally retained.

No opponents appeared at the hearing. Committee members asked for clarifications about provisional-ballot process and whether certain IDs (for tribal colleges or private colleges) would be covered; witnesses and the sponsor said the bill's language as drafted covers tribal‑college IDs and larger private colleges with NAIA recognition but would not extend to every small trade school ID.