summary
Introduced
03/25/2025
03/25/2025
In Committee
03/25/2025
03/25/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
05/23/2025
05/23/2025
Introduced Session
2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATED TO THE USE OF PARTY AFFILIATION FOR CERTAIN NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL RACES; ALLOWING CANDIDATES FOR CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OR JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT TO INDICATE A POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION ON A DECLARATION FOR NOMINATION AND TO HAVE THAT AFFILIATION APPEAR ON THE PRIMARY AND GENERAL BALLOTS; PROVIDING A FILING FEE; ALLOWING CANDIDATES FOR CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OR JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT TO ANNOUNCE POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS ANDORSEMENTS; AMING SECTIONS 13-10-202, 13- 10-209, 13-10-602, 13-12-203, 13-14-112, 13-14-115, AND 13-14-212, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN APPLICABILITY DATE.”
AI Summary
This bill changes existing judiciary laws to allow candidates for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or Justice of the Supreme Court to indicate their political party affiliation on nomination declarations and ballots, which was previously prohibited for these nonpartisan judicial positions. Specifically, candidates can now list their political party affiliation (in no more than three words) on their declaration of nomination, during their campaign, and on primary and general election ballots. If a candidate chooses not to indicate a political party, they will be listed as "Nonpartisan". The bill also establishes a filing fee of $1,750 for these judicial positions and allows candidates to announce their political party endorsements. These changes will apply to primary and general elections for Supreme Court judicial positions held on or after January 1, 2026, effectively introducing a degree of partisan identification to what were previously strictly nonpartisan judicial races. The bill amends several sections of Montana Code Annotated related to elections, filing procedures, and ballot preparation to implement these new provisions.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
(S) Died in Process (on 05/23/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2375 |
| State Bill Page | https://bills.legmt.gov/#/lc/bill/2/LC2375 |
| Fiscal Note SB0543_1 | https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=15c5e2bb-cf5e-40ea-acd9-5e90f07b8fa9 |
| BillText | https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=eb32d971-c30f-4b0a-b607-c077fc1acd83 |
| BillText | https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getContent?documentId=296656 |
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