KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Montana

HB35 • 2025

Allocating judicial standards commission to the department of justice

Allocating judicial standards commission to the department of justice

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Fiona Nave
Last action
2025-05-22
Official status
(H) Died in Process
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not provide specific details about changes to member terms, only that they serve staggered 4-year terms.

Moving Judicial Standards Commission to Justice Department

The bill moves the Judicial Standards Commission under administrative control of the Department of Justice but maintains its independence for operations.

What This Bill Does

  • Moves the Judicial Standards Commission to be part of the Department of Justice for handling day-to-day tasks.
  • Keeps the commission's ability to hire its own staff and operate independently from the department.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Judicial Standards Commission
  • Department of Justice

Terms To Know

Judicial Standards Commission
A group that oversees judges and makes sure they follow rules.
Department of Justice
The part of the government in charge of law enforcement and legal matters.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is not clear if this bill will become a law since it died in process.
  • The exact changes to how members serve on the commission are not detailed beyond term lengths.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

COMMITTEE

Plain English: Amendment 1 changes where the Judicial Standards Commission gets its administrative support from within the state government.

  • Moves the Judicial Standards Commission to be administratively part of the Department of Justice Administration, but allows it to hire its own staff independently.
  • The amendment text does not provide details on how this change will affect the commission's operations or budget.
FLOOR

Plain English: FLOOR 2

  • The official amendment file could not be read automatically during the last sync, so only the official amendment metadata is shown right now.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-22 HOUSE

    (H) Died in Process

  2. 2025-02-14 SENATE

    (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading

  3. 2025-02-14 SENATE

    (S) 2nd Reading Concur Motion Failed

  4. 2025-02-14 SENATE

    (S) 2nd Reading Indefinitely Postponed

  5. 2025-02-07 SENATE

    (S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred

  6. 2025-02-05 SENATE

    (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred

  7. 2025-02-04 SENATE

    (S) Hearing

  8. 2025-01-27 HOUSE

    (H) Transmitted to Senate

  9. 2025-01-27 SENATE

    (S) First Reading

  10. 2025-01-27 SENATE

    (S) Referred to Committee

  11. 2025-01-24 HOUSE

    (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading

  12. 2025-01-24 HOUSE

    (H) 3rd Reading Passed

  13. 2025-01-23 HOUSE

    (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading

  14. 2025-01-23 HOUSE

    (H) 2nd Reading Motion to Amend Failed

  15. 2025-01-23 HOUSE

    (H) 2nd Reading Passed

  16. 2025-01-20 HOUSE

    (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed

  17. 2025-01-20 HOUSE

    (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed

  18. 2025-01-20 HOUSE

    (H) Committee Report--Bill Passed

  19. 2025-01-07 HOUSE

    (H) Fiscal Note Received

  20. 2025-01-07 HOUSE

    (H) Fiscal Note Signed

  21. 2025-01-07 HOUSE

    (H) Fiscal Note Printed

  22. 2025-01-06 HOUSE

    (H) First Reading

  23. 2025-01-06 HOUSE

    (H) Hearing

  24. 2024-12-20 HOUSE

    (H) Referred to Committee

  25. 2024-12-18 HOUSE

    (H) Fiscal Note Requested

  26. 2024-12-06 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester

  27. 2024-12-06 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester

  28. 2024-12-06 HOUSE

    (H) Introduced

  29. 2024-11-19 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Assembly

  30. 2024-11-19 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery

  31. 2024-11-18 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review

  32. 2024-10-30 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing

  33. 2024-10-23 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Edit

  34. 2024-10-07 HOUSE

    (LC) Drafter Assigned

  35. 2024-10-07 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Legal Review

Official Summary Text

Allocating judicial standards commission to the department of justice

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 35.1
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 35
1 HOUSE BILL NO. 35
2 INTRODUCED BY F. NAVE
3 BY REQUEST OF THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON JUDICIAL OVERSIGHT AND REFORM
4
5 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT ALLOCATING THE JUDICIAL STANDARDS COMMISSION TO
6 THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES; AMENDING SECTION 3-1-1101,
7 MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.”
8
9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
10
11Section 1. Section 3-1-1101, MCA, is amended to read:
12 "3-1-1101. Creation and composition of commission -- allocation. (1) There is created a judicial
13 standards commission consisting of five members as follows:
14 (a) two district court judges appointed by the speaker of the house as provided in 3-1-1115 and
15 confirmed by the senate;
16 (b) one attorney who has practiced law in this state for at least 10 years, appointed by the attorney
17 general and confirmed by the senate; and
18 (c) two citizens who are not attorneys or judges of any court, active or retired, appointed by the
19 governor and confirmed by the senate.
20 (2) Members shall serve staggered 4-year terms.
21 (3) The judicial standards commission is allocated to the department of justice for administrative
22 purposes only as prescribed in 2-15-121. However, the commission may hire its own personnel, and 2-15-
23 121(2)(d) does not apply.
24 (4) The judicial standards commission shall exercise its functions independently of the department
25 and without approval or control of the department."
26
27 NEW SECTION. Section 2. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2025.
28 - END -