Bill > SB40

This bill revises Montana's public records laws to increase transparency around Supreme Court deliberations and case information. The legislation requires that any closed meetings of the Supreme Court involving judicial deliberations must be electronically recorded, with a written record also created that includes all documents considered. After a case becomes final (which occurs when all potential appeals are exhausted), these electronic recordings and written records will be available for public inspection. The bill allows the Supreme Court to redact confidential information if an individual's privacy clearly outweighs the public's right to know. Additionally, the bill updates definitions of public records and confidential information to explicitly include Supreme Court judicial deliberations as a type of public record that can be disclosed after a case is concluded. The bill is grounded in Montana's constitutional "Right to Know" clause and aims to provide greater public access to judicial proceedings while still protecting sensitive individual privacy concerns. The changes will take effect on October 1, 2025, giving the Supreme Court time to prepare for the new transparency requirements.

Justice

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/20251/LC0614