Senate Bill 359, sponsored by Sen. Novak and described by proponents as a hands‑free law aimed at reducing driving distractions, passed second reading following an extended and emotional debate.

Novak, who said she taught driver education and brought the bill after a fatal crash involving a former student, told senators the bill is not a broad cellphone ban but instead requires hands‑free operation and discourages actions like reading or sending text messages while driving. She said the bill is principally an education and deterrence measure and gives law enforcement a tool for roadside intervention when they encounter apparent distracted drivers.

Opponents and questioners raised several concerns: a long list of statutory exceptions for official duties; whether the measure might create unequal enforcement or profiling when used as a primary stop; how the law would treat autonomous vehicles and in‑car touchscreen systems; and whether the bill would simply change how people hide distracted behavior without improving crash statistics.

Proponents — including traffic safety advocates and some law‑enforcement speakers at committee — said the state is the only one without a specific distracted‑driving statute and argued Montana should adopt a hands‑free standard used in other states. The bill passed second reading on a recorded vote, 33‑17.

The sponsor and several colleagues urged colleagues to treat the measure as a public‑safety step and not a revenue generator, while some Senators urged caution about enforcement details and exemptions. The bill proceeds to a third reading and additional amendment opportunities.