2025 Legislative Session - Friends of the Third Branch

2025 Legislative Session: End of Session Report

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday

Bills Impacting the Courts

Senate Bills

*Legislation proposed by the Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform

Status	Bill and Short Title	Sponsor	Process
Failed	SB13*: Remove Supreme Court original jurisdiction for ballot review	Emrich	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (08:06) + Senate Floor Passed Senate Watch House Judiciary Hearing (3/20)
Failed	SB 14: Audit Office of Disciplinary Council See Fiscal Note*	Usher	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (11:12) + Senate Floor (14:33) Passed Senate Watch House Judiciary Hearing (3/19) Watch House Floor Second Reading (3/27) Failed 2nd Reading
Failed	SB15*: Revising grounds for impeachment	McGillvray	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (1/16) + Senate Floor (( Passed Senate Watch House Floor Second Reading (3/27) Watch House Floor Third Reading (3/28)
SB16*	~~Allowing legislative committees to find contempt for violation of legislative subpoena~~	Noland	See Bill Status Here Bill Withdrawn
Failed	SB20*: Prohibit retired judges from hearing constitutional cases	Ellsworth	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (8:03) + Senate Floor (2nd) 2/14 (13:35) Passed Senate (2/15) Watch House Judiciary Hearing (3/17)
Failed	SB21*: Allowing legislative and executive leadership to vacate a writ of mandamus See Legal Note Here	Usher	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (8:03) + Watch Senate Floor Second Reading (2/28) Passed Senate (3/1) Watch House Judiciary (3/20) Watch House Floor Second Reading (3/28)
Passed	SB30* Revise laws related to Judiciary and rule of necessity	McGillvray	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (8:40) + Senate Floor (13:13) Passed Senate Watch House Judiciary (3/25)
Failed	SB31*: IOLTA Bill providing Interest back to client	Usher	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (8:48)
Passed	SB38*: Generally revise laws relating to attorney fees and prevailing parties for veto overrides See Fiscal Note	Hertz	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (8:06) + Senate Floor (13:22) Passed Senate Referred to House Judiciary
Passed	SB39*: Generally revise attorney fee awards	Hertz	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (8:16) + Senate Floor (14:29) Passed Senate Referred to House Judiciary
In Process	SB40*: Revise supreme court public records laws by opening deliberations and files to the public	Hertz	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (8:33) + Senate Floor (13:45) Passed Senate Watch House Judiciary Hearing (4/3)
Passed	SB41*: Requiring substitution of district court judges by random selection	Emrich	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (8:42) + Senate Floor (13:45) Passed Senate Referred to House Judiciary
Failed	SB42*: Provide for the partisan election of judges and justices See passed ammendment	Emrich	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (1/15) Senate Floor Second Reading (2/26) Passed Senate + Watch House Judiciary (3/26) Passed committee 3/28 as amended
Failed	SB43*: Generally revise injunctive powers of the judiciary Amendments	Emrich	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (9:38) Senate Floor 2nd (2/15) Failed 2nd Reading – Indefinitely postponed
Failed	SB44*: Generally revise laws regarding the separation of powers doctrine	Emrich	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (10:14) + Senate Floor (13:50) Failed 3rd Reading
In Process	SB45*: Create a judicial performance evaluation commission and system See Fiscal Note See Governor Amendments	McGillvray	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (11:19) + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing + Senate Floor (13:42) + Senate Finance and Claims 2:00 pm (2/20) Table 22-Y, 0-N Blast motion to Senate floor + Watch Senate Floor Session 2/27 Passed Senate + Watch House Judiciary (3/25)
Failed	SB47*: Enhance committee review of statewide ballot issues	McKamey	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing + Senate Floor (13:45) Failed 3rd Reading
Passed	SB48*: Generally revise laws relating to Judicial Standards Commission complaints	Glimm	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing + Senate Floor (14:15) Passed Senate Referred to House
Failed	SB 49*: Exempt lawyers serving in certain public offices from professional disciplinary measure and proceedings for actions taken while in office	Usher	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing Passed out of committee 2/14 +Senate Floor 2nd reading (2/19) +Senate Floor 1:00 pm 3rd reading, (2/20) Watch House Judiciary (3/24) Passed committee 3/27 as amended (3/27)
Failed	SB52: Create Montana Court of Chancery See Fiscal Note See SB 385 below*	McGillvray	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing Bill Withdrawn
Failed	SB66*: Generally revise definitions relating to the judiciary	Noland	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (11:00) + Senate Floor (13:21) 2nd Reading Indefinitely Postposed
Failed	SB92: Generally revise eligibility requirements to practice law in Montana	Fuller	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (10:03) + Senate Floor (13:29) Passed Senate Referred to House Judiciary
Passed	SB97: Revise venue laws for cases challenging constitutionality of recent laws See Fiscal Note	Fuller	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (10:54) + Senate Floor (13:37) Passed Senate Referred to House Judiciary
Failed	SB130: Revise elected official recall laws		See Bill Status Here
Failed	SB158: Require judicial standards committee to send investigation referral to House of Representatives		See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (1/27) + Senate Floor (2/3) Failed 3rd Reading
Passed	SB239: Requiring judges to invite amicus briefing and allow intervention in certain civil cases	Mandeville	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Local Government Hearing (2/21) Watch Senate Floor Second Reading (3/18) Watch House Judiciary (3/25) Watch House Floor Second Reading (4/10)
Failed	SB 385: Create a general claims court	McGillvray	See Bill Status Here + Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (2/28) Watch Senate Finance and Claims Hearing (3/18) Tabled Senate Finance and Claims (3/21)
Failed	SB543: Generally revise laws relating to attorney fees and prevailing parties for veto overrides		+ Watch Senate Judiciary Hearing (4/3) + Senate Floor (4/4) -rescheduled

*Legislation proposed by the Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform

House Bills

*Legislation proposed by the Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform

Bill	Short Title	Sponsor	Bill Status
Failed	HB30: Requiring the Supreme Court to apply a burden of proof for challenge to constitutionality of legislative act	Deming	See Bill Status Here + Watch House Judiciary Hearing (1/6) + House Floor (initially failed, then was reconsidered)(1/23) + House Floor (1/24) Passed House Watch Senate Judiciary (2/13) Senate Floor 2nd (2/15) Second Reading Indefinitely Postposed(2/15)
Failed	HB35: Allocating judicial standards commission to the department of justice See Fiscal Note	Nave	See Bill Status Here + Watch House Judiciary Hearing (1/6) + House Floor Second Reading (1/23) Passed House Referred to Senate Judiciary (2/5) Senate Floor (2nd) 2/14 (13:52) Second Reading Indefinitely Postposed(2/14)
Failed	HB 36: Disallowing judge to serve as chair of judicial standards commission	Nave	See Bill Status Here + Watch House Judiciary Hearing (08:37) + House Floor (13:57) Passed House +Senate Judiciary (2/4) Senate Floor Second Reading 2/14 Second Reading Indefinitely Postposed(2/14)

Passed	HB39: Repeal law disallowing parties from contributing to judicial candidates	Millett	See Bill Status Here + Watch House Administration Hearing (1/6) + House Floor Second Reading (1/14) Passed House +Senate Judiciary Hearing 2/5 +Senate Floor (2nd) 2/14 (13:45) Senate Floor 3rd (2/15) Passed Senate Has been transmitted to Governor for signature (2/26)
Failed	HB65: Audit State Bar of Montana See Fiscal Note	Deming	See Bill Status Here + Watch House Judiciary Hearing (1/6) + House Floor Second Reading (1/23) (was reconsidered for second reading) + House Floor ( 1/27) Passed House +Watch Senate Judiciary (1/23) + Senate Floor (2nd) 2/14 (14:01) Watch Senate Finance and Claims (3/17) Tabled Senate Finance and Claims (3/21)
Failed	HB 169: Revise judicial conduct laws	Millett	See Bill Status Here House Judiciary (1/16) House Floor – Second Reading (1/23) Passed House Senate Judiciary (2/5) Senate Floor Second Reading (3/15)
Failed	HB224: Generally revise criminal law Prohibiting judges from seeking, accepting, or using political party endorsement	Stafman	Tabled before first committee
Failed	HB295: Revise laws related to judicial transparency and elections	Fielder	See Bill Status Here Watch House Judiciary (2/3) Watch House Floor Second (
Failed	HB322: Reduce the number of associate judges on the Supreme Court		See Bill Status Here Watch House Judiciary (2/7) Watch House Floor Second (Reading (2/26)
Failed	HB506: Constitutional amendment revising selection of supreme court justices	Barker	See Bill Status Here Watch House Judiciary Hearing (2/20)
Failed	HB 646: Elect supreme court by districts Legal Note	Ler	See Bill Status Here Watch House Judiciary (2/27) Watch House Floor Second Reading (3/5) Failed Second Reading
Failed	HB751: Partisan election of supreme court candidates	Schubert	See Bill Status Here Watch House Judiciary Hearing (3/3) Watch House Floor Second Reading (3/6) Failed Second Reading (3/6)
Failed	HB772: Revise writ of mandamus laws	Overstreet	See Bill Status Here Watch House Judiciary Hearing (3/3) Watch House Floor Second Reading (3/6) Failed Second Reading (3/6)
Failed	HB838: Allow supreme court justices to use partisan affiliation		See Bill Status Here Watch House Judiciary (3/28) Watch House Floor Second Reading (4/7)
Failed	HB840: Create judicial branch independence investigation committee		See Bill Status Here Watch House Judiciary (3/28) Watch House Floor Second Reading (4/1)

	Resolution / Study Bill	Sponsor	Status
Failed	SJ2: Resolution disapproving of Montana Supreme Court rules	Usher	See Resolution Status Here Hearing CancelledTabled in Committee (2/18)
In Process	SJ39: Study specialty courts		Watch Senate Judiciary (4/17)
In Process	HJ23: Interim study on youth court laws	Reavis	See Bill Status Here Watch House Judiciary (3/26) Watch House Floor Second Reading (4/15) Watch Senate Judiciary (4/24)
Failed	HJ64: Study election and evaluation of judges	Griffith