Bill > HB581

This bill modifies Montana law to expand the authority of police chiefs in appointing court officers and clarify definitions related to law enforcement personnel. Specifically, the bill allows a police chief to appoint full-time or part-time special service officers as court officers, with approval from a judge, and empowers these court officers to transport defendants to detention facilities when a court remands a defendant into custody. The legislation also updates the definition of "special services officer" to include both full-time and paid officers, previously limited to part-time or volunteer status. These changes provide more flexibility for police departments in staffing court support roles and clarify the responsibilities of different types of law enforcement personnel. The bill amends sections 3-6-303 and 7-32-201 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA), which govern court officers and law enforcement definitions, respectively, to implement these modifications.

Justice

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC4280