Criminal Justice

died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 816: Generally revise DUI penalties

HB 816, titled "Generally revise DUI penalties," aims to update laws related to Driving Under the Influence. The bill proposes to increase penalties for DUI offenses, directly affecting individuals convicted of these crimes. It also includes amendments to the definition of "misdemeanor" and other general definitions within the Montana Code Annotated.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases DUI penalties, aligning with indicators of restricting criminal justice reform by harshening sentencing without reform elements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 702: Generally revise laws relating to criminal acts

HB 702 creates a new crime for operating drones over Montana correctional facilities without permission, punishable by 1-5 years in prison. It revises assault laws to specifically include intentionally making bodily fluid contact with correctional staff, healthcare providers, or emergency responders during arrests, incarceration, or transport. The bill also updates rules for possessing or transferring prohibited items (like cellphones, drugs, or weapons) into prisons, with harsher penalties for weapons (up to 20 years) and drugs (up to 10 years), while adding clarity about notice requirements for minor contraband. These changes directly affect prison staff, inmates, visitors, and anyone near correctional facilities.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for drone operations, expands assault definitions, and harshens prison contraband rules, strengthening punitive measures without reform elements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 236: Provide for evaluations of defendants in detention centers or state prisons

HB 236 aimed to allow mental health evaluations for criminal defendants, used to determine their fitness to proceed in court, to be conducted within detention centers or state prisons. It directed the Department of Public Health and Human Services to create rules for these facilities, covering aspects like defendant care, security for evaluators, and the use of remote communication for examinations. The bill also outlined which entities, such as the courts or public defender's office, would be responsible for covering the costs of these evaluations and related expenses. This would have impacted criminal defendants undergoing such evaluations and the correctional facilities hosting them.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates mental health evaluations for defendants' fitness to proceed, aligning with criminal justice reform by protecting defendant rights and improving court proceedings through proper mental health assessments.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 93: Establish compensation for wrongful conviction

HB 93 sought to establish a system for compensating individuals who were wrongly convicted of felony crimes and later exonerated. It would allow eligible claimants, defined as those imprisoned for felonies they did not commit, to file a civil action against the state or county of conviction. To receive compensation, claimants would need to prove their actual innocence by a preponderance of the evidence and waive other legal remedies against the state. The bill also provided for a $5,000 transition assistance grant, expungement of the conviction, and outlined how damages and legal costs would be paid, excluding compensation for crimes that are now legal.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCompensates wrongfully convicted, promoting accountability and civil rights in criminal justice reform90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 674: Revise code commissioner duties to include repealing unconstitutional policies from Montana code

HB 674 proposes to update the responsibilities of Montana's Code Commissioner. It would add a new duty requiring the commissioner to recommend legislation that eliminates laws from the Montana Code that courts have found to be unconstitutional and permanently blocked from being enforced. This change aims to ensure the published code reflects only valid, enforceable statutes. It directly affects the Code Commissioner's review process and the accuracy of the official state legal code.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves unconstitutional laws from Montana Code, protecting civil rights and ensuring valid statutes in criminal justice system per court rulings.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 50: Provide protections to parents and pregnant women with substance use disorder

HB 50 protects parents and pregnant women with drug use disorder by preventing child welfare investigations or custody actions solely based on positive drug test results. It amends Montana law to shield individuals seeking treatment or prenatal care from criminal charges related to drug use, and prohibits using drug test results alone to initiate child abuse cases or remove children from homes. The bill directly affects pregnant women, parents, healthcare providers, and child welfare systems by ensuring medical care access isn't penalized. Key provisions include immunity for seeking overdose help and requiring medical evaluation as the primary factor in child welfare decisions.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticePrevents criminal charges for drug use when seeking treatment, reducing criminalization and aligning with justice reform by diverting to healthcare instead of prosecution.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill prevents criminal charges and child welfare actions for seeking substance use treatment/prenatal care, directly protecting patient access and rights in healthcare services per summary.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 569: Revise laws related to perjury and false swearing

HB 569 sought to revise laws related to perjury and false swearing. The bill proposed changes to the penalties for these offenses, introducing mandatory minimum jail sentences and adjusting maximum terms and fines. For perjury, the punishment would shift from state prison to county jail, while still requiring a minimum 6-month term. For false swearing, new mandatory minimums for jail time and revised fines were introduced. Additionally, the bill mandated that credible allegations of both perjury and false swearing be investigated by an agency independent of the judiciary.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIntroduces mandatory minimum jail sentences for perjury/false swearing, increasing punitive measures rather than advancing reform or protections.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 912: Generally revise behavioral health laws to create a secure forensic facility

HB 912 proposes creating a new secure forensic facility in Montana, overseen by the Department of Public Health and Human Services. This facility would provide care, treatment, and security for up to 70 individuals involved in the legal system due to mental illness, including those needing competency restoration or forensic evaluations. The bill allocates $60 million from the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Fund to plan, construct, and equip this facility, while also expanding the fund's uses to support new behavioral health infrastructure.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates secure forensic facility for mental health treatment in legal system, advancing rehabilitation and competency restoration within criminal justice framework.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $60M from behavioral health fund to create facility providing mental health care/treatment for forensic patients, directly advancing mental health services under healthcare topic.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 896: Prohibit harboring or assisting illegal aliens

HB 896 aimed to expand Montana's obstructing justice laws by redefining who is considered "an offender." Under this bill, "an offender" would include individuals who have entered the United States unlawfully or have not complied with their immigration status conditions. Consequently, a person could be charged with obstructing justice for knowingly harboring, assisting, or preventing the discovery or apprehension of such individuals. The bill also included a $500 appropriation to the Department of Justice to notify local law enforcement agencies and county attorneys about these new requirements.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands criminalization by redefining 'obstructing justice' to include harboring undocumented immigrants, increasing penalties without reform focus.95% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationBill criminalizes harboring undocumented immigrants, expanding state enforcement against them under obstructing justice laws.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 237: Prohibit placement of sentenced defendants in the state forensic mental health facility

HB 237 would prohibit the placement of certain sentenced defendants in the state forensic mental health facility at Galen. The bill amends existing law to specify that individuals found to have a mental disease, disorder, or developmental disability at the time of their offense, and who are committed for treatment, cannot be placed at the Galen facility. Instead, these defendants could be placed in other appropriate correctional, mental health, residential, or developmental disabilities facilities for their custody, care, and treatment. The director of the department would retain the authority to transfer individuals between these alternative facilities.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRedirects mentally ill defendants from forensic facility to appropriate care, promoting rehabilitation over incarceration - aligns with criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates placement in mental health facilities for eligible defendants, ensuring appropriate care under Health Care Services subject.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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