Prohibit selection of redistricting chair with recent major party contributions

This bill would prevent the Montana Supreme Court from selecting a specific individual to serve as the presiding officer of the state's redistricting commission if that person has made campaign contributions to major party candidates in the last 10 years. The law applies to the five-member commission that draws state legislative and congressional district lines, which is formed when legislative leaders appoint four commissioners who then choose a fifth chairperson. If the commissioners cannot agree on a chairperson within 20 days, the Supreme Court would be responsible for selecting that fifth member, but the bill adds a restriction barring anyone with recent major party campaign donations from being chosen. This change directly affects the selection process for the redistricting commission's leadership and limits the pool of candidates the court can appoint based on their financial support of political campaigns.