MTLeg Weekly Debrief: Week Of February 27 – March 3
The Frontier Institute has identified 3 new Key Bills, 19 new Red Tape Relief Bills being sent to the Governor and 23 Key Bill Updates for the week of February 27th - March 3rd
HB 772 requires the recusal of a judge or justice if a litigant made one or more contributions exceeding $350 for Supreme Court races or $200 for district judge races, within the last six years. This bill requires a judge or justice to disqualify themselves if a litigant made indirectly contributed via a political committee $37,500 for Supreme Court justice races or $1,000 for a district judge race.
Current Status: Tabled in House Judiciary Committee
HB 777 requires Montana to automatically recognize a license for an behavioral health counselor from another state in the Audio and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact. Frontier Institute has recommended that the legislature go even farther, making the pandemic model of universal licensure recognition permanent.
Current Status: Passed House Business and Labor Committee
SB 440 seeks to ensure interest collected via the interest on lawyer trust account (IOLTA) program is returned to the client. The money allocated by these IOLTA accounts is allocated to organizations that the Supreme Court and Bar Association support. The Montana Supreme Court has effectively taxed and spent over $8 million through IOLTA without any oversight by the legislature.
Current Status: Passed Senate Judiciary Committee
- 5 Bill Hearings Scheduled
- 2 Bills Passed 1st Committee
- 1 Bill Passed 2nd Committee
- 3 Bills Stuck in Committee
- 1 Bill Passed 1st Chamber Floor Vote
- 2 Bills Passed 2nd Chamber Floor Vote
- 19 Bills Transmitted to Governor
- 4 Bills Signed by Governor
To track the status of all of these Red Tape Relief Bills CLICK HERE.
Key Bill Updates:
SB 178: Passed Senate. Transmitted to the House
HB 324: Tabled in Committee
HB 313: Passed House. Transmitted to Senate
SB 227: Tabled in Committee
HB 326: Senate Judiciary Committee hearing scheduled for March 3rd
HB 337: Tabled in Committee
HB 393: Passed Committee
HB 408: Passed Committee
SB 245: Passed Senate. Transmitted to the House
HB 409: Passed House. Transmitted to the Senate
HB 464: Did not pass second reading on the House floor
SB 302: Passed Committee
SB 313: Passed Committee
SB 323: Passed Committee
HB 459: Passed Committee
HB 562: Passed Committee
SB 390: Tabled in Committee
HB 605: Tabled in Committee
SB 395: Tabled in Committee
HB 606: Tabled in Committee
SB 379: Passed Committee
SB 382: Passed Committee
SB 397: Passed Committee