Montana Freedom Caucus' 2025 Legislative Session Update - January 29, 2025 (Wednesday)
Vote Recommendations on Key Bills, Links, and Other Useful Information PLEASE SHARE WIDELY
SB52 - Create Montana Court of Chancery - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Tom McGillvray - Jan 29, 8 am, Room 303 - (JUDICIAL REFORM)
SB14 - Audit Office of Disciplinary Council - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Barry Usher - Jan 31, 8 am, Room 303 - (JUDICIAL REFORM)
SB49 - Exempt lawyers serving in certain public offices from professional disciplinary measure and proceedings for actions taken while in office - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Barry Usher - Feb 4, 8 am, Room 303 - (JUDICIAL REFORM)
SB21 - Allowing legislative and executive leadership to vacate a writ of mandamus - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Barry Usher - Feb 4, 8 am, Room 303 - (JUDICIAL REFORM)
HB65 - Audit State Bar of Montana - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Lee Deming - (JUDICIAL REFORM)
SB15 - Revising grounds for impeachment - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Tom McGillvray - (JUDICIAL REFORM)
SB40 - Revise supreme court public records laws by opening deliberations and files to the public - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Greg Hertz - (JUDICIAL REFORM)
SB41 - Requiring substitution of district court judges by random selection - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Daniel Emrich - (JUDICIAL REFORM)
SB44 - Generally revise laws regarding the separation of powers doctrine -Recommend YES - Sponsor is Daniel Emrich - (JUDICIAL REFORM)
HB30 - Requiring the Supreme Court to apply a burden of proof for challenge to constitutionality of legislative act - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Lee Deming (Passed out of the house 1/28/2025 - Transmitted to Senate)
HB35 - Allocating judicial standards commission to the Department of Justice - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Fiona Nave (Passed out of the house 1/24/2025 - Referred to Senate Judiciary)
HB36 - Disallowing judge to serve as chair of judicial standards commission- Recommend YES - Sponsor is Fiona Nave (Passed out of the house 1/24/2025 -Referred to Senate Judiciary)
HB39 - Repeal law disallowing parties from contributing to judicial candidates - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Tom Millett (Passed out of the house 1/15/2025 -Referred to Senate Judiciary)
HB52 - Generally revising administrative procedure laws relating to agency deference - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Lee Deming
HB65 - Audit State Bar of Montana - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Lee Deming
HB169 - Revise judicial conduct laws - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Tom Millett (Passed out of the house 1/24/2025 -Referred to Senate Judiciary)
SB13 - Remove Supreme Court original jurisdiction for ballot review - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Daniel Emrich (Passed out of the senate 1/24/2025)
SB14 - Audit Office of Disciplinary Council - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Barry Usher
SB15 - Revising grounds for impeachment - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Tom McGillvray
SB21 - Allowing legislative and executive leadership to vacate a writ of mandamus - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Barry Usher
SB31 - IOLTA Bill providing Interest back to client - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Barry Usher
SB38 - Generally revise laws relating to attorney fees and prevailing parties for veto overrides - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Greg Hertz
SB39 - Generally revise attorney fee awards - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Greg Hertz (Passed Committee 24 Jan)
SB40 - Revise supreme court public records laws by opening deliberations and files to the public - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Greg Hertz
SB41 - Requiring substitution of district court judges by random selection - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Daniel Emrich
SB42 - Provide for the partisan election of judges and justices - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Daniel Emrich
SB44 - Generally revise laws regarding the separation of powers doctrine -Recommend YES - Sponsor is Daniel Emrich
SB45 - Create a judicial performance evaluation commission and system- Recommend YES - Sponsor is Tom McGillvray
SB48 - Generally revise laws relating to Judicial Standards Commission complaints - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Carl Glimm (Passed Committee 24 Jan)
SB49 - Exempt lawyers serving in certain public offices from professional disciplinary measure and proceedings for actions taken while in office - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Barry Usher
SB52 - Create Montana Court of Chancery - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Tom McGillvray
SB66 - Generally revise definitions relating to the judiciary - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Mark Noland - Bill Passed Committee - (2nd Reading Indefinitely Postponed)
SB92 - Generally revise eligibility requirements to practice law in Montana - Recommend YES - Sponsor is John Fuller - (Passed out of the senate 1/24/2025 - Referred to House Judiciary)
SB91 - Require citizenship marker on driver's license and identification cards - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Theresa Manzella
SB185 - Constitutional amendment regarding qualified elector to require that only a citizen can vote - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Theresa Manzella
SB94 - Generally revise public sector unions law - Recommend YES - Sponsor is John Fuller (No lobbying allowed by public sector unions on taxpayer time)
SB90 - Redistribute certain state tax revenue to primary residence property tax relief - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Carl Glimm (Passed Committee 28 Jan)
HB215 - An Act Eliminating Gender and Racial Balancing for Appointments by Boards, Commissions, Committees, and Councils of State Government - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Caleb Hinkle
LC0892 - Require official action to release Montana national guard to active duty combat - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Lee Deming
HB214 - Provide for prosecution of state crimes for persons subject to federal immigration detention - Recommend YES - Sponsor is Caleb Hinkle
Bill Explorer - Includes means to filter, track, and export. However, it is not as good as it was two years ago.
SB50 - Generally revise laws related to child abuse and neglect investigations (Good Bill)
SB127 - Allows defendants who use force justifiably to recoup out of pocket costs and attorney fees (Good Bill)
SB129- Revise voter registration laws to include party preference (Good Bill) (Passed Committee 28 Jan)
SB130 - Revising the Recall Public Officer Act (Good Bill) (Tabled in Committee)
SB146 - Creating the private property protection act - Jan 28, 8 am, Room 303 (Good Bill)
SB164 - Revise offense of endangering the welfare of children - (Good Bill)
HB94 - Allow sharing of tax records for securities and insurance fraud investigations (Bad Bill - Passed House - Transmitted to Senate)
HB181 - Allows Patrols Officers to Make Arrests or Serve Warrants on Capitol Grounds (Referred to Senate State Admin) (Good Bill)
HB293 - Revise election administrator laws (Good Bill) (Jan 30, 10 am, Room 455)